When thinking about sustainability at sports and entertainment venues, water might not be the first subject that comes to mind. Certainly, clean water is critical for venues, vendors and guests for drinking, plumbing, cleaning and more. But venues face rising threats from stormwater runoff, flooding, and other climate-related physical risks impacting operations and insurance premiums. When taken together, these broad water-related issues and risks are pushing water stewardship toward the top of the priority list for building more resilient operations.
Some venues, particularly those in the western U.S., struggle with water scarcity and the need to conserve. Other venues face high flooding risk or stronger mandates to eliminate contaminants in wastewater. Most will face some combination of water challenges. That’s why a critical first step is understanding your unique water uses, impacts and risks to achieve highest impact in a water stewardship plan. This article, written by Matt Howard and Stacy Vogel Davis of The Water Council, will offer examples of water stewardship action from teams such as the Miami Heat and Chicago Cubs, along with tips on how to start your water stewardship journey.