World Water Day, celebrated on March 22, emphasizes the importance of water, with this year's theme focusing on 'nature for water' and nature-based solutions to water challenges. MSA is engaged in initiatives like the one water movement, promoting sustainable and inclusive management of water resources, reflected in their project work in Iowa and communities of practice among their professionals. These efforts highlight the value of clean water and the importance of sustainable infrastructure to address both environmental and community needs.

1. T H E A N S W E R I S
N A T U R E
World
Water Day

2. WHAT IS WORLD WATER DAY?
"World Water Day, on 22 March every year, is
about focusing attention on the importance of
water. This year’s theme, ‘Nature for Water,’
explores nature-based solutions (NBS) to the
water challenges we face in the 21st century."
www.worldwaterday.org

3. WHAT ARE NATURE-BASED SOLUTIONS?
"Restoring forests, grasslands and natural wetlands, reconnecting
rivers to floodplains, creating buffers of vegetation along water
courses – these are all examples of NBS that help the management
of water availability and quality. Most NBS, including in urban
landscapes, essentially involve the management of vegetation,
soils and/or wetlands, including rivers and lakes."
www.worldwaterday.org

4. "In Iowa, we assist communities with SRF-sponsored projects, a new program
administered by Iowa DNR. When a community begins to repay its SRF loan, a
grant is available to complete water quality projects. These grants are essentially
the interest that would be charged on the SRF Loan, but the community is given
this money to spend on water quality projects. In Durant, Iowa we have
completed three projects – permeable pavers, bioswale and agricultural land
conversion back to native prairie. We're happy to see both the cities and the
environment benefit from these projects."
Dennis Keitel, PE
MSA Project Engineer
Potable Water, Stormwater and
Wastewater CoP Member

5. WHAT IS THE ONE WATER MOVEMENT?
"We believe that all water has value. It must be managed in a
sustainable and inclusive manner to build strong economies,
vibrant communities, and healthy environments. We are
driving a one water movement—an approach to water
stewardship that is innovative, inclusive, and integrated."
www.uswateralliance.org

6. "I think the 'One Water' alliance sums up what MSA is all about achieving. As
engineers, we know the cost to achieve clean water in the US. Building
sustainable infrastructure is becoming an important consideration in
engineering and design. This is a responsibility I fully support and became a
certified Envision Sustainability Professional to support our clients in this respect.
Clients are embracing a more holistic view of their projects. They want to know
how to protect their community's resources by engineering more sustainable
infrastructure and respecting every drop."
Dan Borchardt, PE, ENV SP
MSA Project Engineer
Stormwater CoP Member

7. MSA'S COMMITMENT TO CLEAN WATER
When our professionals have opportunities to talk to one another,
particularly those with specialized experiences, good things happen. This
simple thought led MSA to create what we call Communities of Practice
(CoPs). Professionals with skills and experience in certain fields, such as
water resources, congregate in-person and virtually with other staff with
similar interests. This allows staff to build relationships internally, which in
turn brings more ideas to bear on our clients’ issues. Nearly 25% of MSA's
professionals participate in one or more of MSA's water resources CoPs.

8. "When I went to Uganda in 2012 to help an island community install a basic
water pump system, I was able to see more clearly the value of accessible clean
water. I was also able to grow in my appreciation for the water resources we have
available in the United States, and particularly south central Wisconsin where the
aquifers below us provide an abundance of clean water that is often taken for
granted. This experience also deepened my appreciation and passion for the
work that I do at MSA, as I have the opportunity help communities supply clean
water to its residents. I am blessed to work in a field that is so basic and
necessary to all of humanity. We all need water."
Brad Stuczynski, PE, LEED AP
MSA Potable Water Engineer
Potable Water CoP Chair
®

9. "In the developed world where we typically take sanitation for granted,
our communication efforts should focus on why the environment is
important but that it is expensive to protect. If we can communicate that,
then we typically allocate enough resources to protect it."
Gil Hantzsch, PE
MSA Chief Executive Officer