March 29, 2016 AWRA-WA Dinner Meeting
Ivar’s Salmon House on Lake Union
Dinner Presentation – Drinking Water and Climate Change
Brian Walsh, Policy and Planning Section Manager, Washington Department of Health/Office of Drinking Water
This presentation explores specific risks that climate change poses to Washington’s drinking water systems. Brian Walsh will review the regulatory context for Group A and B drinking water systems, and current stressors to these systems that must be managed to ensure safe drinking water. He will examine how climate-related conditions and events may add new stressors to some drinking water systems. These stressors include declines in some groundwater supplies, changes in precipitation patterns, sea-level rise, and events like drought, wildfires and floods. Participants will gain an understanding of how these risks, among other factors, may influence drinking water management in the coming years. Finally, Brian will make recommendations and will invite discussion about adaptive strategies, tools and partnerships that could be employed to strengthen the resilience of drinking water systems in the state.
In 2015, Brian was hired as the Policy Manager for the WA Department of Health / Office of Drinking Water. He supervises an interdisciplinary staff responsible for drinking water rules content, ground water technical support, water resources policy, emergency response planning, legislation, and capacity development. Current issues include rules for Group A water systems, emergency loan program under the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund, fluoride, and total coliform. His group also engages on water availability guidance, water use efficiency, climate change, nitrate contamination of groundwater, ASR, and reclaimed water.
Prior to working at the Department of Health, Brian was the Planning Manager for 2 years at the Puget Sound Partnership where he was responsible for maintaining and updating the 2014-15 Puget Sound Action Agenda, including strategies, near-term actions, and targets for the recovery of Puget Sound.
Brian spent the bulk of his career at the WA Department of Ecology in the Water Resources and Shorelands Programs where he was involved in water resources policy, instream flow setting, trust water rights, climate change, FERC relicensing, drought response, watershed planning, seawater intrusion, and water acquisition.
Brian has a degree in Environmental Planning from The Evergreen State College.
Event Details:
Tuesday, March 29, 2016
Social 5:30 - 6:30
Dinner 6:30 - 7:00
Presentation 7:00 - 8:00
LOCATION - Ivar’s Salmon House on Lake Union
401 NE Northlake Way
Seattle, Washington
(206) 632-0767
Students: Free
Member: $30
Non-Members: $40
Cancellation Policy: AWRA-WA will fully refund the registration fee if cancellation notice is received within 5 days of the event.
