New insights, strategies for water affordability in updated AWWA guide March 23, 2022Connections Article, Publications Ensuring water affordability for all consumers, particularly those most vulnerable, is gaining momentum nationally and in local communities. As support and resources for water assistance programs grow, the American Water Works Association (AWWA) is releasing an update of its Thinking Outside the Bill guide for utilities. A member log-in is required to access the guide. This guide, a third edition updating the 2014 publication, shares case studies and resources to help water utilities gather data and develop or enhance affordability programs. It follows the premise that to best serve the needs of its most vulnerable customers, a utility needs to understand its community’s demographic, social, economic and environmental make-up. “The past two years of pandemic have been a catalyst for the public to recognize what the water industry has known all along - how critical it is to everyone’s well-being that all customers have an equitable opportunity to access safe, reliable water services,” said Mandy Cawby of WaterOne in Kansas (pictured right) and a member of AWWA’s project advisory committee for the updated guide. “Affordability and customer assistance programs are both universal and highly local issues because every community has unique needs and circumstances. Our industry’s continuing desire to explore, understand and evaluate what best serves each utility’s local customers shows the heart of our industry’s mission,” she added. “This guide is an actionable resource with real examples of effective affordability programs that any water utility leader or team member can pick up and glean information and ideas from to address the specific challenges of water and wastewater affordability in their communities.” The guide also provides information about current, temporary federal assistance programs; a Thinking Outside the Bill workbook; information on how to access census data; and maps of affordability data across the United States. Thinking Outside the Bill framework This guide adapts the business process framework for customer assistance programs first developed for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and The Water Research Foundation by Cromwell et al. (2010). The framework is considered a best practice for developing customer assistance programs and consists of the following steps: Plan: diagnose and research water affordability challenges in your community using multiple metrics Do: develop financial and operational solutions that address the specific needs of your customers and utility Share: identify and reach customers in need through a strategic communications and outreach plan that informs your community about your commitment to affordable water access Check: continuously engage with your community, evaluate its needs, and measure the impacts of your affordability efforts to ensure ongoing success Advancing methods to address affordability AWWA has long been part of discussions around how to measure and address water affordability. In 2013, in cooperation with the U.S. Conference of Mayors and the Water Environment Federation, AWWA published an Affordability Assessment Tool for Federal Water Mandates, which examined how the EPA qualifies a community for relief from expensive mandates. In 2018, AWWA adopted the following policy statement on affordability: “The American Water Works Association (AWWA) recognizes that providing reliable and high-quality water, wastewater, reclaimed water, and stormwater services at fair and reasonable rates and charges to all customers is fundamental to a utility's mission.” More resources are available on AWWA’s affordability resource page.