For Immediate Release
October 4, 2023
Contact: Barry Dugan, Data Instincts
(707) 849-9858
Windsor, CA – Data Instincts founder and principal Mark Millan has been selected to present at the International Desalination Association (IDA) “Summit on Water and Climate Change” in Seville, Spain on October 15-17, 2023. Millan’s presentation, “Communication Plans and Strategies for Advancing Public Acceptance of Potable Reuse Projects – Vital for our Water Future,” is based on extensive research and work his firm has conducted in support of numerous potable reuse (wastewater to purified water) projects in California and the Western United States.
“It’s a great honor to be chosen to speak at this prestigious international conference,” said Millan. “The Summit on Water and Climate Change will include a variety of topics that are essential to climate variability and resiliency. Potable reuse projects, also referred to as purified recycled water, will play a key role as we strive to provide additional water supplies in the United States and throughout the world. It’s gratifying that our international colleagues have included the importance of communication strategies to support purified recycled water projects in discussions about the world’s water future.”
Millan’s presentation at the conference is based in part on a research project, “Model Public Communication Plan for Advancing DPR Acceptance,” published in 2015 by the WateReuse Research Foundation (now the Water Research Foundation), which he co-authored with Patricia Tennyson, and Dr. Shane Snyder. The project provides strategic methods on how to communicate with communities evaluating potable reuse (both indirect and direct) to meet their future water supply needs.
Since publication of that project, Millan and his team at Data Instincts have tested, explored, and put into practice, findings from this research to advance the implementation of challenging potable reuse projects. He has consulted on numerous potable reuse projects in the U.S., including: Pure Water Monterey – One Water Monterey; Pure Water SF – San Francisco Public Utility Commission; Pure Water Westminster – Westminster, Maryland; OneWater Nevada – Truckee Meadows Water Authority, Reno, Sparks, Washoe County; Pure Water Soquel – Soquel Creek Water District; and Santa Clara Valley Water District’s Purified Water Project.
Millan is a frequent presenter at national and international water reuse conferences, has authored numerous papers, and participated in many research projects on water-related communications. In addition to the “Model Public Communication Plan for Advancing DPR Acceptance,” published in 2015 by the WateReuse Research Foundation, he was a contributing writer to the World Health Organization’s Guidelines for Potable Reuse published in 2017. He currently serves on the Board of Trustees for WateReuse California and is a member of the Executive Committee. In addition, Mark is an active participant on the Project Advisory Committee (PAC) for EPA’s study entitled, Unlocking the Nationwide Potential of Water Reuse.
Data Instincts is a Sonoma County, California public outreach firm that specializes in public outreach for implementing recycled water projects. This year it is celebrating 25 years at the forefront of the recycled water industry in California and throughout the West. The firm provides clients with a full range of public outreach and community engagement services, including brand development, communication toolkits, collateral materials, website development, logos, infographics, and videos.
IDA Seville Summit: Water and Climate Change
The IDA Seville Summit, celebrating IDA’s 50-year anniversary, will focus on adaptation to climate change and address synergies between mitigation and adaptation, integrating unconventional water resources to ensure long-term water security, decarbonizing the water sector, the need for environmental stewardship, integrated water resource management, and solutions to food security, industry, and municipal water needs.
IDA is an NGO with recognized consultative status by the United Nations ECOSOC and a member of the UN Special Framework for Water Scarcity in Agriculture (WASAG) hosted by the UN FAO Land and Water Division. The IDA promotes unconventional water resource solutions to offset water scarcity and enhance resilience, long-term water security, and adaptation to climate change.
Data Instincts is a professional consultancy dealing with Public Information and Public Involvement serving municipalities, counties, public agencies and engineering firms with public outreach efforts. Data Instincts has been involved with public outreach and education for recycled water projects throughout California, Oregon, Washington, and Nevada including work with the Las Gallinas Valley Sanitary District, Monterey One Water, North Bay Water Reuse Authority, OneWater Nevada, Pure Water Soquel, Russian River Water Forum, SFPUC, City of Santa Rosa, Sonoma Water, Town of Windsor, and Valley Water. More information can be found at www.DataInstincts.com.
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