KatieÌýSpahr

  • Denver Water
  • One Water | Recycled Water Program
  • Water Resources Planning
  • Water Resource Engineer
Sphar

Katie Spahr is a One Water subject matter expert at Denver Water. She has over ten years of experience in alternative water source planning. She holds a PhD in Civil and Environmental Engineering from Colorado School of MinesÌýwhere she focused on multi-benefit assessments of green stormwater infrastructure. She also holds a Masters in Civil and Environmental Engineering from CU Â鶹ӰԺ. Dr. Spahr previously worked at The Water Research Foundation where she acted as a subject matter expert in nature-based solutions, water reuse, and disinfection by-products. She holds an Environmental Professional Engineer license in the State of Colorado.


Urban Water Planning at Denver Water and Building a Research Portfolio at a Water UtilityÌý

Theoretically, holistic management of urban water systems leads to better water quality and quantity outcomes and makes the most of a shared resource. In practice, managing the urban water cycle requires navigating complex governance structures and working with different entities that have competing drivers to identify and implement multi-benefit projects. In this talk, I will discuss some of the complexities related to urban water management in Denver and identify some opportunities for research and innovation. In addition, I will provide some insights into the opportunities for research administration and collaboration working in the water utility space in Colorado and nationally.

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