The Connecticut Water Planning Council will host State Water Plan workshops and a series of public forums around the state to receive input about the development of the first comprehensive State Water Plan.

Public participation is crucial to the development of the plan as the state addresses water resource management, including ongoing issues with climate change, drought and water use, the council said in a news release.

The local public meeting will take place from 1 to 3 p.m. Jan. 26 at the Southeastern Connecticut Council of Governments offices at 5 Connecticut Ave., Norwich.

The council and its consultant, CDM Smith, in association with Milone and MacBroom, have embarked on the development of a State Water Plan at the urging of the Gov. Dannel P. Malloy and legislative leaders. This team will host workshops that are open to the public but are designed to advance the drafting of the plan, as well as public meetings.

The plan ultimately will recommend a framework for managing Connecticut’s water into the future, and help balance the way water meets all of our needs as new climate trends emerge and new needs develop. The plan is to be drafted by July 1 and submitted to committees of cognizance of the Connecticut General Assembly by Jan. 1, 2018. The plan will address the quality and quantity of water for drinking, ecology, recreation, industry, agriculture, energy and wastewater assimilation.

Representatives from the council will be at each of these meetings, along with the directors of the project from CDM Smith.

The workshops will take place at:

• 8 a.m. to noon Jan. 12 at the University of Connecticut, Rome Ballroom, 626 Gilbert Road Extension, Storrs.

• 1 to 5 p.m. Feb. 2, Feb. 16 and April 20 at the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority offices, 10 Franklin Square, New Britain.