Energy and water are precious, global, and interconnected resources. Water provides electric power directly and plays a growing role for irrigation of energy crops. At the same time, the thermoelectric sector is the largest user of water in the U.S., withdrawing 200 billion gallons daily for power plant cooling. And while the energy sector uses water, the water sector uses energy for moving, pumping, treating, and heating. Given recent trends towards water-intensive fuels and energy-intensive water production (through desalination) the problems might only become worse. However, despite the close relationship of energy and water, the funding, policymaking, and oversight of these resources are typically performed by different people in separate agencies. Energy planners often assume they will have the water they need and water planners often assume they will have the energy they need—if one of these assumptions fails, the consequences will be dramatic.

This panel will investigate the relationship of energy & water, the potential problems, and the potential policy- and technologically-oriented solutions. Panelists will address many of the leading questions on the water-energy relationship and the industry that can be created around it, including

• What does the future of water look like?
  What is the relationship between energy and water?
  Is water a local, state, federal, or international issue?
  Are there policy solutions on the horizon?
  What are the potential technology solutions?
  How can Austin benefit?