Equity, Access & Community Engagement
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.
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.
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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:
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:
Recommended Actions
Participants emerged with 10 recommended actions encompassing four broad categories:
- Community-centric water management approach
- Sustainable services through collaboration
- Innovative solutions for equitable water
Participants
Susan Ancel P.Eng, FCSSE
Director, One Water Planning EPCOR Water Services, Inc.
Adam Carpenter, Ph.D.
Manager of Energy and Environmental Policy, AWWA
Tom Dobbins
Chief Executive Officer Association of Metropolitan Water Agencies (AMWA)
Pooja Chari
Project Engineer Woodard & Curran
Iris Fisher
Chief Financial Officer The Water Works Board of the City of Birmingham, Alabama
Jim Holway, Ph.D.
Director Babbitt Center for Land and Water Policy
Briana Huber
Director of Water Filtration City of East Molin
Joe Jacangelo, Ph.D.
Vice President Director of Research Stantec
Chris Jarrett
Director, Sales American Cast Iron Pipe Company (ACIPCO)
Michael Johnson
General Manager The Water Works Board of the City of Birmingham, Alabama
Amanda Jones
Project Manager Tucson Water
Patrick Kerr
Chair Of The Board Of Directors, CEO and President Baton Rouge Water Company
Nilaksh Kothari, P.E.
CEO Preferred Consulting
David LaFrance
CEO AWWA
Rochelle Larson, P.E.
Principal Engineer – Planning & Engineering Division Albuquerque Bernalillo County Water Utility Authority
Barb Martin
Director of Engineering and Technical Services AWWA
Trina McGuire-Collier
Principal Strategic Communications Advisor HDR INC
Margaret Medellin
Deputy Manager – Department of Transportation and Infrastructure City and County of Denver
Olga Morales-Pate
Chief Executive Officer Rural Community Assistance Partnership Incorporated (RCAP)
Cheryl Porter
Chief Operating Officer Great Lakes Water Authority
Lucero Radonic
Associate Professor Northern Arizona University, Anthropology Department
Pete Rogerson, Ph.D.
Professor of Geography and Biostatistics University at Buffalo
Jennifer Sara
Global Director, Climate Change Group World Bank Group
Sagar Shah, Ph.D., AICP
Manager, Research and Strategic Initiatives American Planning Association
Chi Ho Sham, Ph.D.
Past President, AWWA Independent Consultant
Kelley Dearing Smith
Vice President of Communications and Marketing Louisville Water Company
Michelle Stockness ENV SP, P.E.
Vice President Barr Engineering Co.
