The Aspen National Water Strategy Initiative (ANWSI) addresses a critical gap in American governance: the lack of coordinated, strategic thinking about nationwide water challenges.
While water sustains our communities, ecosystems, and economy, national policy discussions remain fragmented and reactive, typically emerging only during crises. This initiative aims to change that by building a national water strategy through strategic dialogue and collaboration among diverse water sector leaders.
Co-led by Duke University's Nicholas Institute and the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, and convened by the Aspen Institute, ANWSI brought together a 35-member Water Strategy Group spanning sectors and regions. Through a series of convenings that culminated with the 2025 Aspen-Nicholas Water Forum, participants developed a national water strategy that addresses underexplored challenges and emerging priorities. This strategy provides strategic direction for tackling America's most pressing water challenges—moving the nation from crisis-driven responses to proactive, coordinated water management.
