WATER YOU WAITING ON?
No Water, No NC ... plain and simple.
Over the last 40 years, several industry-leading companies have supported NC State’s Institute for Emerging Issues Forums, including: Dominion Energy, NC REALTORS, E&V Strategic Communications, Ernst & Young, Macquarie, York Properties, Internet of Water Coalition, Troutman Sanders, Itron, Russell Reynolds Associates, Bank of America, Fidelity, SaverLife, Duke Energy, Wells Fargo, Civic Credit Union, Burroughs Wellcome Fund, Hitachi Energy, and most proudly, Public Consulting Group.
Before my 35+ years career at PCG, I graduated from NCSU as a CO-OP student with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA NOAA) based in the Research Triangle Park (RTP).
During my junior and senior years at State #gopack, I worked on computer air pollution models and co-authored this article in the JAPCO.
I mention this for two reasons:
- Clean air and clean water are essential for life.
- It appears the water crisis is coming faster than air pollution crisis.
Why should you care?
“The 2026 Emerging Issues Forum will bring thought leaders (concerned citizens, politicians, business, government, education, healthcare, human services, and faith leaders) together to explore the challenges facing North Carolina’s water infrastructure, with a local emphasis on the unique solutions needed to ensure its affordability, reliability and resiliency.”
This year’s Forum marks 40 years of the Emerging Issues Forum and will be held on Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2026, in Asheville, Winston-Salem and Morehead City.
DON’T BURY YOUR HEAD IN THE SAND
Fun Fact: Ostriches don’t bury their head in the sand. None the less, I cannot think of a single Tarheel citizen who should NOT be concerned about the future of water in NC.
Let me take a stab at making this real for YOU. Here’s an “off the top of my head” list of industries we’ve worked with over the years in NC who should care deeply about the future of water in our state:
Education – If you are a K-12 professional, School Board Member, Superintendent, Principal or Assistant Principal, STEM Teacher, Exceptional Children’s Director, Behavioral Health professional, School Safety officer, water availability and quality are essential. Heck if you are a volleyball coach, you are gonna need water during breaks. Given all the challenges around water, what adjustments need to be made to science curriculum to teach students about the complex issues in and around water?
America has NOT cracked the code for remote learning. We see children struggle with being isolated when kept out of school. What happens when kids can’t come to school because there is no safe water, and there is no safe water at home?
Human Services – If you work with senior citizens, adopted and foster children, provide energy assistance, or support the disabled, then WATER matters. State-wide DSS services are delivered locally by people who can’t do their jobs without safe/available water during all weather conditions: floods, ice/snow, tornados, and rising heat.
Workforce Development – Building off CTE Programs in public high schools, how are community colleges, apprenticeships, and higher education going to produce highly-skilled students who can compete in all the industries that are part of our water industry/infrastructure? What role will these young professionals play in helping NC meet/exceed the #MyFutureNC goal of 2 million credentialed or degreed students by 2030?
Healthcare – If you were in WNC during and after Hurricane Helene, then nobody needs to tell you how important water is to our healthcare system. Nurses were sent home every day with cases of water to drink, bathe, and flush their toilets. It was a crisis in and around many health-care providers in WNC … especially in rural counties.
Fire/EMS – Imagine a day when fire hydrants run dry? Let’s not debate how it might happen: flooding, old-age, terrorist attacks, internet-failure, or who knows what. How are firefighters/EMS responders going to serve their communities? #WaterMatters
Resilience & Sustainability (R&S) – NC citizens need water, food, gas, electricity, internet, heat/cooling, and shelter to live. When disaster hits …. whether man-made or “acts of god” … NC has got to have well-documented, well-communicated, and well-trained R&S plans that evolve as the world around us continues to change. Make no mistake about it … water is a top priority and in some cases is at the top of the list.
Technology – When it comes to long-term plans surrounding water challenges (today and in the future), NC’s response must include state-of-the-art technology. AI is in the mix, but it goes well beyond just that. Research, innovation, investment, and continual improvement are going to require budgeting and policies that give local communities a fighting chance.
Construction / Real Estate – The number one indicator of economic development is home construction and manufacturing. Why? Because without houses and factories, you don’t get to have advanced manufacturing, technology, biotechnology/pharmaceutical, and financial services. Those industries drive real estate and construction and without reliable, affordable, and clean water … they cannot exist.
Economic Development – Right now the Maldives has new climate-resilient, integrated water resources management system. By contrast over 2 million folks in NC are still on well-water that are subject to pollution and global warming. Many communities have fragmented and/or deteriorating water systems. If NC doesn’t have long-term access to clean water, the businesses in our state will not be able to compete on the national/global level.
Religious Organizations – Life is made most precious by a true sense of community. Neighbors living, working, playing, and helping each other. In so many parts of NC, community is built around churches of all faiths. Faith leaders and their congregations are often at the front of the line when it comes to responding to crisis and people in need. Water is an emerging issue and the solutions must include input from the thousands of religious institutions across our state.
Energy – It doesn’t take a rocket science to understand the importance of water to energy. It is not missed on many, the more internet-based our society becomes, the more energy we are going to need to power our homes, offices, factories, data centers, and day-to-day products (computers, phones, heating/cooling, etc.)
The “water-energy” nexus describes the fundamental, intertwined relationship where water is essential for energy, and energy is crucial for water management. So, NC’s water future is dependent on energy and vice versa.
I am happy to add more industries to the list above. The above is just my “off the top of my head” list. In the last 30 years of working alongside of NC DHHS, NC DPI, LEAs, NCDIT, NCBCE, NC DOT and many more, I have seen lots of folks working hard to make the Old North State what it is today!
“The 9th ranked state in America and one of the most beautiful places in the world.”
Let’s work together to keep getting better.
FIVE (5) HOT WATER ISSUES (pun intended)
If you are still reading in this day and age of soundbites and click bait, here are five (5) key issues surrounding the future of water in NC:
Water Management – How do we get water where we need it? How do we prevent/respond to more frequent and record-setting flooding? How do we manage climate-change flooding to ensure drinking water remains clean?
Water Quality – How do we keep water safe for all living things in North Carolina? How do we prevent water crises like Flint, MI and Jackson, MS? How do we keep manufacturing/agricultural-generated waste out of our rivers, lakes, oceans, and reservoirs? How do we control increased run-off created from population growth and over building?
Water Infrastructure Financing – How do we plan for future water needs? How does NC pay for investment in new and replacement water pipes/lines? Sewage systems? What is our Resilience & Sustainability (R&S) Plans surrounding water? Are the optimal investments being made?
Water Equity – How do we make sure seniors, children, disabled, impoverished, unemployed, and other vulnerable citizens can afford clean water? How does NC make water affordable state-wide? Urban and rural? Mountains, Piedmont, and Coast?
Water Fun - Tourism is critical for many communities across NC. Whether swimming, boating, fishing or just admiring NC's oceans, lakes, and rivers, we all acknowledge clean water is a FUNdamental reason folks visit our great state.
WE NEED YOU AT IEI FORUM 2020 Future of Water
We need your thinking, insights, creativity, common sense, technical know-how and collaboration. We need your heart felt, self-interest to protect those you love and live with and around. Hope to see you at IEI Forum on Wednesday, February 25, 2026.
If you happened to be attending the Forum in Asheville, please join us at Asheville’s newest watering hole: Scratch Ankle Filling Station for the “IEI Forum 2026 Meet & Great” onTuesday, February 24, 2026 at 5:00pm-7:00pm. This event is sponsored by Penley Produce Vacation Homes.
Thanks to all the state-wide and Asheville area businesses that are helping make this collaboration effort possible!!!
Thank you to all the sponsors listed below for their support of North Carolina and in particular, Miles Brown, NC IEI Advisory Board member.
CONTRIBUTING SPONSORS ($250 - $2,499)
Tony McLean Brown
A Western NC hillbilly through and through, Tony McLean Brown was born in the small town of Enka-Candler outside of Asheville. His parents re-named him when he was 3 years old to Tony (a nickname provided by his grandfather) McLean (middle name of his Uncle Michael) while retaining his legal surname Brown.
Throughout his career, Tony McLean Brown worked as a farmer, computer programmer, and management consultant – in his adventurous years – author, song-writer, bass player, poet, pilot, mountaineer, certified scuba diver, and competitor in professional bull riding, NASCAR late model racing, Toughman boxing, Crossfit Open, Ironman, pole vaulting, marathon and ultra-marathon running, as well as parenting.
www.HappyGuidetoaShortLife.com has been leveraged to help charities and non-profits across the globe, USA, NC, and Lake Norman area. If you, your family, school, church, or charity has been supported, please take the time to share, like, subscribe, comment, and provide a 5 star review!