Water is the world’s most essential resource, powering both everyday life and the systems our economy depends on. As water-intensive industries expand across the Great Lakes region, so does our responsibility to manage it wisely.
From data centers and energy production to agriculture and manufacturing, growing demand for digital infrastructure is quietly increasing pressure on our freshwater. At the same time, aging systems, extreme weather events, and persistent challenges around access to clean water have made water management more complex than ever.
In a region defined by the Great Lakes, one of the largest freshwater systems on Earth, we can’t afford to take abundance for granted.
That’s where Chicago Water Week comes in.
Current’s annual Chicago Water Week returns May 3–9, 2026, to highlight the importance of water stewardship, innovation, and education. Now in its sixth year, the week creates space for both experts and the public to explore water from many perspectives: science, technology, policy, economic development, environmental impact, and community engagement.
Throughout the week, events are designed to build awareness and encourage action around key water issues affecting the Great Lakes region. Technical panels and seminars dive into infrastructure, policy, and emerging challenges facing water systems today. Research and innovation showcases highlight new technologies and data-driven solutions shaping the future of water management. Tours and open houses offer behind-the-scenes access to treatment facilities and natural spaces, helping families and visitors of all ages better understand the systems that support everyday water use.
For academics and industry professionals, Chicago Water Week is an opportunity to engage directly with the ideas, technology, and partnerships driving the water sector forward. For the broader public, it’s a chance to better understand how water intersects with daily life, and why protecting it requires both individual awareness and collective action.
Chicago Water Week not only celebrates water, it highlights how critical it is to our future and invites people to dive deeper into the challenges and solutions developing across our region.
Join us for events like:
AI Waves: Transforming Water Research- Argonne National Laboratory
- A virtual workshop hosted by Argonne National Laboratory during Chicago Water Week will bring experts together to explore how AI and machine learning can accelerate innovation, improve infrastructure resilience, and shape the future of water systems.
Great Lakes, High Stakes: How We Can Steward the Great Lakes Advantage- CMAP
- A panel hosted by Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning at Brookfield Zoo will explore how the Chicago region can manage Great Lakes water sustainably through improved infrastructure, coordination, and policy.
Protecting Our Water: New Policies for Data Centers and Large Water Users- Alliance for the Great Lakes
- A virtual panel hosted by Alliance for the Great Lakes will examine how data centers impact regional water resources and explore policy and industry solutions for sustainable water use.
Employer Partnerships in Action: Lessons from the Blue Economy- CAEL
- A virtual webinar hosted by CAEL (Council for Adult and Experiential Learning) will explore how education and employer partnerships can build workforce pipelines for the growing Blue Economy.
2026 Freshwater Forum- Current
- The flagship Chicago Water Week event hosted by Current that will spark conversation around water technology and the pathways that connect education, innovation, and real-world impact.
Recycling Water for Data Centers and Quantum Computing- The Freshwater Lab
- A panel exploring how the growing water demands of data centers can be addressed through large-scale water recycling, alongside the policy and infrastructure needed to make it viable in Illinois.
Liquid Assets: The Stories Shaping Water Justice in Chicago – Sierra Club & Chicago News Weekly
- A discussion on how media and storytelling shape public understanding of water issues in Chicago, with a focus on equity, representation, and driving more inclusive solutions.
View all events, and more at:
https://currentwater.org/chicago-water-week/
