Federal Engagement in Water Resource Technology Development: Current Programs and the Future

摘要

The Federal Government has made investments, through multiple organizations, in developing technology to improve the efficiency, conservation, preservation and expansion of water supplies. The emphasis on this aspect of water resources management has expanded and contracted over time. For a very limited period in the 1960s and 1970s, there was some degree of coordination of Federal research investments, but the organizations that fostered that coordination have evaporated. As we look to the future, the questions of whether we really need new Federal investments in water resources technology and, if so, what those investments should be, remain as viable and important questions.Furthermore, given the increasing public policy focus on energy as an issue of national security, it is essential to include within the public dialogue recognition of the interdependence of water and energy production. Current energy policy, in an attempt to move towards domestic energy resources, favors resources that require increasing amounts of water for production, such as corn. Simultaneously, thermo-electric power production is predicted to increase over time. This power production requires a certain amount of water to function and, therefore, one can predict that, without increased efficiencies, demand for water will also increase. As policy moves towards alternative energy sources, the affect of the production of these sources on water supply, demand, and quality should be observed. Conversely, water uses and supplies often require energy (e.g., desalination plants), so, as our energy resources become scarcer, we must recognize the affect that our water usage has on our energy supply.Obviously, the first issue is whether there is a need for better protected or expanded water supplies and, if so, are there specific sectors of water demand that need greater attention. If there is a need, then the next question is whether or not developing technology should be one of the important mechanisms for achieving this goal. If so, then, we must determine what part of technology development should be underwritten by Federal investment. Finally, we would need to determine some path forward that acknowledges the existing programs and investments by multiple Federal agencies and allows some form of concerted effort to proceed.This paper is written to provide a snapshot into the current dialog on this topic, offer an additional perspective to the dialogue by including discussions regarding energy and water interdependency, and, finally, to provide an outline for the debate.