#getf

DESCRIPTION OF AWARDEES Onondaga County, New York Onondaga County received the U.S. Water Prize for its Save the Rain program, a combined sewer overflow (CSO) abatement/water quality program focused on balancing the use of conventional wastewater/stormwater treatment technologies, with advanced, innovative green infrastructure best management practices. Rather than advance a costly project ($100 million estimated), County Executive, Joanie Mahoney joined with USEPA and New York State to petition the federal courts to change course and establish a new, more affordable and sustainable CSO abatement program.  As a result, the Save the Rain program was born in November of 2009.  Federal Justice Frederick Scullin approved a CSO abatement program that allowed the County to change course and advance a program that balanced the use of wet weather storage as well as a requirement to use green infrastructure. It was the first settlement of its kind in the nation to endorse and require green infrastructure as a stormwater management solution. The Freshwater Trust The Freshwater Trust is a non-profit, located in Oregon, but working throughout the United States for the last seven years to advance a program that restores rivers and streams.  They have created an innovative framework for water quality trading and the project management tools necessary to implement it.  Their model and their approach is succeeding quickly and on a larger scale than seen in the past, while at the same time producing new revenue streams to farmers and ranchers. The program works by calculating and quantifying the ecosystem services nature provides.  It then turns them into credits that can be traded and purchased by wastewater treatment facilities and power plants to achieve regulatory compliance on impaired streams and rivers. Their work is done in partnership with water agencies, irrigators, regulators, and farmers and gets away from traditional, costly “built” solutions such as cooling towers for temperature control, or narrowly focused restoration projects on limited acreage.  Their approach permits entities to meet their regulatory compliance requirements while creating verified environmental benefits – a “win-win.” MillerCoors Beer begins and ends with water. By conducting a “water blueprint” of their total business operations, MillerCoors discovered that more than 90 percent of water use occurs in the agriculture supply chain. This caused the company to focus significant energy and resources in this sector, and as a result they are leading the way in developing and scaling water-efficient farming practices, as part of a comprehensive water strategy. To understand risks and identify areas for improvement, MillerCoors teamed up with The Nature Conservancy in Idaho’s Silver Creek Valley, a region where much of the beer industry’s barley is sourced. Together, they launched a precision irrigation project to use less water in barley farming without reducing yields. Through the partnership they also developed a Showcase Barley Farm to help demonstrate water conservation practices as a model for other farmers. The water conservation practices piloted at the Showcase Barley Farm are modernizing best practices on barley farms and have applications across the agriculture industry. President’s Award In addition to the three U.S. Water Prize winners, the Alliance is also honoring Aaron Salzberg, Special Coordinator for Water Resources in the Bureau of Oceans, Environment, and Science Affairs at the U.S. State Department.  The President’s Award recognizes Dr. Salzberg for his public service as a U.S. water diplomat, providing environmental and humanitarian assistance to those in need and advancing global water security, at home and abroad. For more information regarding the U.S. Water Prize, contact Kristyn Abhold at 202.533.1821, or email [email protected]. For more information regarding the U.S. Water Partnership, contact Nathan Engle at 703.379.2713, or email [email protected]. ### The U.S. Water Alliance (formerly Clean Water America Alliance) was formed in 2008 as a 501c3 nonprofit educational organization whose goal is to unite people and policies for “one water” sustainability.  A broad cross-section of interests has come together through the Alliance to advance holistic, watershed-based solutions to water quality and quantity challenges.  www.USWaterAlliance.org The Global Environment & Technology Foundation (GETF), established in 1988, is a leading 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization based near Washington, DC with a mission to promote sustainable development through partnerships and targeted action. GETF seeks to shape a brighter future for communities and the environment by developing innovative strategic plans, creating high-impact partnerships, introducing new technologies and managing programs that have a lasting and positive impact on the world. GETF serves as the Secretariat for both the U.S. Water Partnership (www.uswaterpartnership.org) and Global Water Challenge (www.globalwaterchallenge.org), which is a coalition of leading organizations committed to universal access to water and sanitation.  The U.S. Water Partnership is a U.S.-based public-private partnership (PPP) established to unite American expertise, knowledge, and resources, and to mobilize those assets to address water challenges around the globe, especially in the developing world. It is currently supported by more than 50 members including 18 U.S. government agencies, NGOs, academic institutions and the private sector.