Water 2050

Equity, Access & Community Engagement

Water 2050

Equity, Access, & Community Engagement

Overview

The Equity, Access, and Community Engagement Strategic Implementation Team (SIT) is dedicated to strengthening public trust in water services. We’re achieving this by deepening our understanding of community water needs and fostering a culture where everyone feels connected to and shares responsibility for our water future. This involves promoting community education and engagement, as well as building a diverse and resilient water workforce.

Community Engagement

We’re assessing current consumer water knowledge and sentiment, as well as utility communications efforts to identify gaps and opportunities. We’re also collaborating with experts outside of AWWA to develop effective water messaging and promote community engagement in water issues.

Water Workforce Development

We’re analyzing best practices within and outside the water sector to identify strategies to address workforce gaps, enhance recruitment, and support professional development for a more diverse, sustainable and resilient water sector.

Social Demographic Think Tank Presenters

Water 2050: Equity, Access & Community Engagement

The envisioned world of 2050 will include:

A community-centered approach to water management that recognizes the needs of all constituents.
Positive water habits driven by individuals’ “personal” connection to water.
Cultural and social change that demands that access to water is viewed in the broader context of poverty and ensures more equitable access within and across communities.
Public service employees who view their jobs as a higher calling, providing water for all.
Partnerships with public, private and philanthropic partners, as well as government at all levels, to advance equitable water services.

Recommended Actions

The short-term recommended actions for the Equity, Access & Community Engagement Strategic Priority include:

Deepen our understanding of communities’ water needs and strengthen public trust in water services providers through education, community engagement in water policy, and creating a culture where everyone has a personal connection to – and shared responsibility for – our water future.
Attract, develop, and sustain a skilled, technologically savvy water workforce that is engaged and reflects the diversity of the communities they serve.

2050 Video

Social/Demographics Issues

Equity of access to clean, safe, reliable drinking water and sanitation in 2050 and beyond demands planning that values diversity, inclusion, and public engagement.

See All Water 2050 Videos

Download

Water 2050 Think Tank Reports

Social/Demographics Think Tank:

A diverse group of influential thinkers from within and outside the water community developed nine proactive recommendations considering key social and demographic shifts and their impact on the future of water in the fifth think tank report of the Water 2050 initiative.

The 27 participants in the Water 2050 Social Demographics Think Tank, which took place April 26-28, at the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute in Birmingham, Alabama, included highly respected voices from the water and wastewater utility community, international development agencies, academics, demographers, cultural anthropologists, consulting and manufacturing firms and CEOs. The group engaged in a series of facilitated discussions and developed recommended actions that can be grouped into three broad categories: