About Water Innovation Services
Water Innovation Services (WIS) supports water management agencies and organizations in policy and program analysis, regulatory compliance, financial planning, and project and strategic development. WIS is committed to the vision that water management organizations have enormous opportunities to improve how they deliver services through adoption of innovative administrative, regulatory, technological, and financial strategies. WIS helps clients target and launch creative, integrated stormwater and wastewater management approaches and collaborations, focusing on:
- Water infrastructure and watershed management planning for the future
- Stormwater harvesting and wastewater recycling
- Innovative program and project funding and finance, and
- Permit problem solving and regulatory process improvement.
About Dave Smith, Founder and Principal
Dave brings unique experience and analytical expertise across the water management spectrum to inform his consulting services. During his 31-year career at the U.S. EPA’s Pacific Southwest Region, Dave managed each Clean Water Act finance, regulatory, watershed planning, water quality standards, and nonpoint source management core program. Beyond these program duties, Dave co-led several national initiatives to promote integrated water management, wastewater recycling and stormwater harvesting, climate adaptation methods, and greater responsiveness to the needs of disadvantaged communities. Dave focuses on building collaborative frameworks for achieving breakthroughs in water management thinking and action. Dave holds a Master of Public Policy degree from University of California, Berkeley and a B.A. in Government from Wesleyan University.
Recent WIS Projects
Since 2022, WIS has engaged in several innovation-focused projects for a variety of clients:
- Comprehensive Analysis of Stormwater Capture and Use Drivers and Challenges, for U.S. EPA under Water Reuse Action Plan Action 3.3 (completed 3/22).
- Innovative NPDES Permitting Strategies for Water Reuse Projects, for USEPA under Water Reuse Action Plan Action 2.6 (completed 3/22).
- Pilot Offsite Stormwater Credit Trading Program, for a large Southern California County (in progress).
- Permitting Process Improvement for Innovative Wastewater Management, with U.S. EPA, University of California, Berkeley and Stanford University (in progress).
- Design of New Methods for Targeting Cleanup of Legacy Pollutants, for EPA Region 3 and the State of Delaware (in progress).
- Evaluating the Environmental Justice Benefits of New Stormwater Permits, for EPA Region 1. (in progress).
- California Offsite Stormwater Credit Trading Think Tank, with a diverse group of stormwater managers, citizen groups, consultants, and California Water Boards (in progress).
- Evaluation of State Revolving Fund Policies for Stormwater Projects, with Pacific Institute and National Municipal Stormwater Alliance (planned, 2023).
Water Innovation Services 