Fifteen years ago, when I became the founding CEO of The Water Council, I brought with me a background in government and nonprofit management. I faced a steep learning curve in understanding water technology and environmental issues. I’m still very much a novice, but over time I’ve learned a thing or two.
At the time, much of the conversation centered on the urgent need to limit global warming to 1.5°C to mitigate the looming threats of climate change. The focus was on what people and businesses should do to prevent future consequences.
Today, climate change is no longer a distant threat – it is here, unfolding before our eyes. What’s especially alarming is not just its presence but its speed, scale and frequency. The effects are devastating, from hurricanes and wildfires to water shortages and catastrophic floods.
At The Water Council, we believe Milwaukee has a role to play in addressing the climate catastrophe through our access to the Great Lakes, home to 20% of the world’s freshwater. Milwaukee’s abundant freshwater, cooler temperatures and lack of catastrophic weather events make it a climate haven.
Our connection to Lake Michigan is valuable not just for the water itself but for the economy that has grown up around it. The Water Council was founded in 2009 in recognition of the density of water technology companies in southeastern Wisconsin, including A. O. Smith Corporation, Badger Meter, InSinkErator and Kohler Company.
The growing water crises around the world present additional opportunity for water innovators, and Milwaukee – home of some of the nation’s leading water research programs at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and Marquette University, a robust water economy, and the Global Water Center, our headquarters in Walker’s Point – is well positioned to meet that need.
Established businesses – in Milwaukee and worldwide – must also do their part when it comes to water stewardship and energy efficiency, not only as an environmental responsibility but as a fundamental strategy for risk reduction and long-term profitability. Those who fail to adapt put their operations, customers and supply chains in jeopardy. At The Water Council, we work with organizations locally and worldwide, of every size and sector, to improve their water stewardship.
Now, more than ever, businesses must recognize that sustainability is not just about doing what’s right — it’s about ensuring their own resilience in an increasingly unpredictable world.
Although climate change is unquestionably a global catastrophe, Milwaukee’s future remains bright. The time is now for Milwaukee to prepare itself as a climate and water haven for people seeking a place to work and raise their families. Our abundant freshwater has been essential to writing our community’s history, and today’s spirit of water stewardship and innovation will serve as an essential ingredient in writing the next chapters for Milwaukee.
For the past 15 years, Dean Amhaus has led The Water Council as founding president and CEO, establishing its mission to solve global water challenges by driving freshwater innovation and advancing water stewardship. A Milwaukee native, he has served in leadership positions in various civic and nonprofit organizations.
