One Water is an integrated water management approach that values every drop of water, regardless of its source. Rather than judge water by its history, engineers and scientists assess the quality of water and then clean the water to the meet the end use. Because One Water looks at the full water life cycle and uses it to assess water systems holistically by viewing water as having greater longevity than has traditionally been thought, we’re beginning to identify how to develop a sustainable water future.

Integrated water projects span the U.S., and One Water means something different from state to state. From drinking water and natural resources, to the water that we flush in our homes and businesses, it’s all connected, and we’re seeing a national shift in how we treat and use this valuable and finite resource.

From drinking water and natural resources, to the water that we flush in our homes and businesses, it’s all connected, and we’re seeing a national shift in how we treat and use this valuable and finite resource." Robert Beltran, Amy Tracy, Dave Maxwell, and Todd Shafer

Water’s Potential

Water and wastewater technology are highly advanced; researchers, engineers, and chemists continue to seek new ways of treating and repurposing water to protect it and maximize its use. It’s important to think about water’s potential at the multi-disciplinary scale and collaborate with community partners to identify water needs. The One Water approach then identifies the multitude of sources available (surface water, raw water, wastewater, groundwater, stormwater, reclaimed water, and drinking water) and connects opportunities to beneficially reuse water.

Adaptive Thinking for Water Use

Historically, there have been rules and regulations in place for each of these water classifications. Many municipalities and state agencies are adapting to this new way of thinking and collaborating or integrating traditional water departments. In doing so, engineers are evaluating not just where the water is coming from, but its potential future use and how it could be recycled or reused utilizing water modeling and quality data. Utilities across the nation are now designing One Water projects that use multiple water sources and integrate projects, such as wetland treatment, and surface and reclaimed water recharge activities. These projects are just a couple of ways that we’re seeing these municipalities and state agencies take a One Water approach to their systems.

Amy, Robert, and Matt O’Connor summarized the benefit of One Water best in a recent blog they wrote, “This process [One Water] opens the door towards greater water sustainability. That means protecting the existing resources and using the right level of treatment for the right end use.” While the idea for One Water wasn’t solely born out of Florida, we’re putting these ideas into practice across the country and can look back and see how the U.S. incorporated the One Water paradigm in projects for decades before the practice was given a formal title.