Planning: CRISES: Collaborative Research and Education Center for Transformative Water Solutions

在美国，提供安全可靠的水常常被认为是理所当然的。美国和全球的供水服务正面临越来越大的压力，并使许多最脆弱和服务不足的人群失望。基础设施老化、水务部门劳动力减少、城市化进程加快以及降雨模式变化等因素共同增加了供水服务的压力。安全饮用水短缺、与水有关的疾病发病率上升、洪水增加以及废水处理不足的风险正在迅速增加。充分的应对需要跨学科专家小组与社区和政府机构合作，共同创新适当的解决办法。该项目最初专注于美国东南部的五个相关水资源挑战，这些挑战是其他地区的缩影：水资源短缺、水质、基础设施老化、洪水和气候变化。应对这五项挑战的方法以环境正义为基础，其愿景是确保所有社区公平可靠地获得安全和负担得起的水，同时考虑到雨水管理和减轻洪水。该项目为一个研究中心奠定了基础，该中心致力于促进公平和公正的供水服务，从而提供一个有弹性的未来。通过与多方合作，该项目为一个解决研究、教育和培训需求的中心创造了一个共同的愿景，以应对水部门的迫切需求。合作者包括地方和州政府机构、公用事业管理者、社区组织、行业和学术机构。通过研讨会、焦点小组和访谈，合作伙伴讨论价值和经验、服务挑战和缺点，并确定数据和劳动力需求。这一过程将导致对当前供水服务提供、未来愿景和实现目标的步骤的全面理解。该研究项目通过加强区域网络来建设区域能力，以促进共享和合作，并创造可转化和推广到其他区域的创新解决方案。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

Within the United States, the provision of safe and reliable water is often taken for granted. Water services in the U.S. and globally are under increasing strain and are failing many of the most vulnerable and underserved populations. Together, aging infrastructure, a shrinking water-sector workforce, increasing urbanization, and changing rainfall patterns increase stress on water services. There are rapidly increasing risks of safe drinking water shortages, a higher prevalence of water-related diseases, increased flooding, and the inadequate treatment of wastewater. An adequate response requires interdisciplinary teams of experts to collaborate with communities and government agencies to innovate appropriate solutions together. The project is initially focused on five related water challenges in the Southeast U.S. that epitomize situations elsewhere: water scarcity, water quality, aging infrastructure, flooding, and climate change. The approach to all five challenges is grounded in environmental justice with a vision to ensure all communities have equitable and reliable access to safe and affordable water with considerations in stormwater management and flood mitigation.This project establishes the foundation of a research center that works to advance equitable and just water services, thus providing for a resilient future. In partnership with multiple actors, this project creates a shared vision for a center that addresses research, education, and training needs to respond to the urgent demands in the water sector. Collaborators include local and state government agencies, utility managers, community-based organizations, industry, and academic institutions. Through workshops, focus groups, and interviews, collaborators discuss values and experiences, service challenges and shortcomings, and identify data and workforce needs. This process leads to a holistic understanding of current water services provision, future visions, and the steps to get there. The research project builds regional capacity through strengthened regional networks for sharing and collaborating and creating innovative solutions that can be translated and scaled to other regions.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.