1、2021 Black&Veatch Strategic DirectionsWater Report 2021 STRATEGIC DIRECTIONS:WATER REPORT|ABOUT THIS REPORT|2About This ReportCindy Wallis-LagePresident,Black&Veatchs water businessThe year 2020 supplied no shortage of challenges yet provided the water industry with an opportunity to find new ways o

2、f doing business and collaborating.Black&Veatchs 2021 Strategic Directions:Water Report examines the issues and trends impacting todays water industry based on a survey of more than 200 stakeholders in the United States sphere of water,wastewater and stormwater.The COVID-19 pandemic,initiated in ear

3、ly 2020 and continuing in 2021,created financial stress on many utilities,complicating existing industry challenges such as such as the continued aging of infrastructure and workforce.Intensifying natural disasters wildfires,floods and drought impacted water systems,highlighting the rising effects o

4、f climate change,testing the resilience of infrastructures,and reinforcing the need for significant investment.While water utilities responded admirably to the fallout from COVID-19,the global pandemic required all utilities to be more resilient in their services and make sorely needed investment in

5、 supply,treatment,conveyance and storage facilities.In forcing federal,state and local governments to halt businesses and industries,the pandemic left tens of millions of Americans jobless and unable to pay utility bills,further straining the bottom lines of many water utilities.Still,that crisis am

6、plified the opportunity and need to accelerate innovation in strategy,operations and funding,with utilities compelled more than ever to unleash the value of data in their operations.Without question,analytics and other technologies drive better decision-making,optimize and prioritize system investme