Who We Are
The American Water Works Association is an international, scientific, and educational 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to a better world through better water.
Founded in 1881, AWWA is the largest organization of water supply professionals in the world.
Our membership includes more than 4,300 utilities that supply roughly 80% of North America’s drinking water and treat almost half of North America’s wastewater. Our 50,000 members represent the full spectrum of the water community: water and wastewater systems, environmental advocates, scientists, academicians, and others who hold a genuine interest in water, our most vital resource.
AWWA also takes great pride in helping establish several preeminent organizations dedicated to safe water, including the Water Research Foundation in 1966 and Water For People in 1991.
What we do:
AWWA Timeline
The history of AWWA is the history of the people who have committed themselves to achieving the purpose set forth more than a century ago, now simply stated as creating a better world through better water.
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1881
AWWA is Founded
On March 29, 1881, 22 water utility managers, engineers, and operators gathered at the Campus of Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri. This meeting was the first-ever Annual Convention & Exposition (ACE) and marked the founding of AWWA.
1905
Standard Methods First Published
In 1905, the first edition of Standard Methods for the Examination of Water and Wastewater was published by the American Public Health Association (APHA). In 1925, AWWA joined APHA to publish the 6th edition. Today, Standard Methods is in its 24th edition, marking more than a century of dedication to water quality and analysis.
1908
AWWA’s First Standard
On May 12, 1908, AWWA’s first standard, C100 for Cast Iron Water Pipes and Special Castings, was adopted. Today, C100’s modern day counterpart is AWWA C151 Ductile-Iron Pipe, Centrifugally Cast.
1914
Journal AWWA is Born
AWWA’s flagship trade magazine, Journal AWWA, is born. Journal AWWA is the voice of the association and serves as a forum for thought leaders in the water and wastewater industry to learn about critical issues affecting water.
1920
Standards Council Formed
In 1920, the AWWA Standards Council was formed. Now, nearly 1,600 volunteer subject matter experts contribute to the development of 190+ standards that inform the water community and protect public health.
1943
Willing Water Mascot
In November 1943, the water conservation mascot of “Willing Water” was developed. This mascot served as a popular and fun reminder on the importance of water conservation and stewardship for decades.
1966
AWWA Research Foundation
In December 1966, the AWWA Research Foundation was founded. This foundation has since evolved into the Water Research Foundation we know today.
1967
DC Office
In 1967, AWWA opened a Washington D.C. office to further support its membership in environmental, legislative, and regulatory issues. Today, AWWA’s policy and advocacy team continue to support AWWA members on vital issues.
1970
U.S. EPA Formed
On December 2, 1970, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) was created.
1972
AWWA Headquarters Moves to Denver
In June 1972, Denver was selected as the new headquarters for AWWA, where it remains today.
1974
Safe Drinking Water Act
The Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) was signed into law to protect public health by authorizing national enforceable standards for drinking water quality.
1975
Opflow is Born
AWWA published the first issue of Opflow, the water community’s primary network for operator-level works. The award-winning magazine presents new and established technologies and ideas that readers can apply to their operations.
1987
Clean Water Act
The Clean Water Act was amended and became law.
1991
Water for People
Water for People was founded by AWWA. Water for People is an international nonprofit that partners with local community members, businesses, and governments to help them bring sustainable water and sanitation systems to their communities.
1995
Partnership for Safe Water
In 1995, the Partnership for Safe Water was created as a response to the 1993 Cryptosporidium outbreak in Milwaukee. Today, Partnership Programs advance excellence in water utility management, operations, and performance.
2004
State of the Water Industry
In 2004, AWWA published its first State of the Water Industry Report. The report, which continues to publish today, annually provides trends and analysis of water community issues based on an authoritative survey.
2004
AWWA Utility Benchmarking
The AWWA Utility Benchmarking Program launched. Today, the program provides data-driven insights that help utilities hit their targets, compare their performance relative to peers, and shape the future of their utility management.
2006
AWWA’s 125th Anniversary
In 2006, AWWA celebrated the association’s 125th anniversary of work dedicated the world’s most vital resource.
2014
Community Engineering Corps
In 2014, the Community Engineering Corps was established as a collaboration between founding partners American Society of Civil Engineers, AWWA, and Engineers Without Borders-USA — powerhouses in the infrastructure and development sectors. The program is dedicated to engineering local impact and providing crucial pro-bono engineering and consulting services to underserved communities across the U.S.
2016
Partnership for Clean Water
The Partnership for Clean Water (PCW) was founded in 2016 as a parallel program to the Partnership for Safe Water. PCW provides optimization resources for wastewater utilities, bringing a One Water approach to optimization.
2019
AWWA Water Science
AWWA launched AWWA Water Science, the association’s online scholarly journal.
2020
Standards Council 100th Anniversary
In 2020, the AWWA Standards Council celebrated 100 years of dedicated service to public health.
2021
Source Water Protection Week
September 26, 2021, AWWA celebrated the first-ever Source Water Protection Week.
2022
Water 2050
On March 10, 2022, AWWA launched the Water 2050 initiative. By engaging in thoughtful, intentional, and inclusive discourse resulting in bold, achievable goals, AWWA’s Water 2050 initiative will shape a long-term vision of the future of water that will chart a course for a successful and sustainable water community.
2023
Transformative Water Leadership Academy
The Transformative Water Leadership Academy, a collaboration between AWWA and the WaterNow Alliance, welcomed the program’s inaugural cohort in 2023. The program is where the next generation of water utility leaders focus on the foundations of sustainable community leadership.
2024
SDWA 50th Anniversary
In 2024, the water community and AWWA celebrated 50 years of safe drinking water while looking ahead to future improvements of the Safe Drinking Water Act.
Leadership & Governance
AWWA is led by a volunteer Board of Directors that includes representatives from each of its 43 geographic sections. The Executive Committee of the Board includes chairs of six advisory councils and past, present, and future volunteer presidents. AWWA’s volunteer leadership works closely with AWWA staff to fulfill the association’s mission as established in its strategic plan.
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Volunteer & Shape AWWA’s Future
Volunteering with AWWA offers a fulfilling opportunity to contribute to the water community. Whether it is through your local section, serving on a council or committee, or perhaps mentoring a young professional, volunteers can make meaningful connections and give back. AWWA’s volunteer program is designed to match your interests with impactful opportunities, ensuring that your time and knowledge can contribute to building a better world through better water.
Volunteer Opportunities
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AWWA’s 2030 Strategic Plan
AWWA’s Board of Directors approved the 2030 Strategic Plan which will help lead AWWA into the future.
VISION: A better world through better water
MISSION: Providing solutions to effectively manage water, the world’s most vital resource
CORE PRINCIPLES: Protect Public Health and the Environment | Strengthen Public Trust | Advance Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging | Inspire Innovation | Engage Globally | Shape Water’s Future
Download the 2030 Plan
Member Experience
AWWA will be the association of choice in the water community for member experience and professional growth
- Enhance the value experience for existing and prospective members
- Strengthen the relationship between the Association and its Sections to increase value and retain and recruit members
- Champion a culture of diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging to empower members to better serve their unique communities
- Boost opportunities for engagement among professionals from all water disciplines, international participants, and other water stakeholders
Organizational Stewardship
AWWA will effectively leverage its resources to advance its mission
- Govern AWWA effectively, transparently, and accountably
- Enhance the Association’s financial health and its investments in the organization
- Elevate the collaborative relationship between the Association and its Sections for effective operations
- Optimize the Association’s programs and policies for relevance, value, and strategic alignment
- Invest in volunteer and staff leadership capabilities to support AWWA’s long-term development
Knowledge Creation & Exchange
AWWA will be the world’s leading and trusted resource on water
- Create and share best practices, innovative solutions, and educational resources to enrich the water workforce and broader water community
- Use transformational technology to deliver and expand access to AWWA’s exceptional professional content
- Provide inclusive and accessible opportunities for members, Sections, and global water professionals to collaborate, innovate, and exchange knowledge
- Partner to develop forward thinking knowledge that fosters a successful and sustainable water future
Water Policy Leadership
AWWA will be the credible and influential voice in water
- Use AWWA’s scientific credibility to inform legislative and regulatory decision makers
- Bolster public trust and appreciation for the value of water through effective communication and community engagement
- Collaborate with sector partners, government representatives, and advocates to develop affordable, equitable, and sustainable policy solutions
- Support Sections seeking to advance Association and state/provincial water policy objectives
- Advance innovative policy solutions to solve water challenges
Join the Team
At AWWA, you will find purpose, great benefits, a collaborative culture, and inspiring work. AWWA serves more than 50,000 professionals who keep water safe and clean, and flowing to the taps of homes and businesses in North America and beyond.
AWWA Culture
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AWWA’s List of Requests for Proposals
2026 RFPs
Creation of the 2025 Water Audit Reference Dataset (WARD2025)
AWWA is investigating the availability and costs of providing the following: Creating an updated AWWA Water Audit Reference Dataset (WARD2025). The current WARD (2018) is the leading repository of validated water audit data and summary statistics of Key Performance Indicators (KPI) for Non-revenue Water (NRW) assessments in the USA and Canada. The original WARD was created from water audits compiled in the previous Version 5.0 FWAS (free water audit software). All data is from 2018 and was collected per regulatory requirements in the states of Georgia and California, and the Province of Quebec, Canada. As required, the data was validated by third party validators, resulting in higher data quality for this published data compared to unvalidated data collected in other states. While reliable, the original WARD is becoming dated and does not offer as much data as currently available from water audits collected in the Versions 6.0/6.1 FWAS. (Note: the WLCC released the Version 6.1 FWAS in June 2025. This amended version includes the capability to calculate the carbon impact of leakage losses, or leakage emissions). Over the past ten years, the North American water sector has been increasingly implementing water loss control programs, and tens of thousands of downloads of the FWAS. More validated water audits exist today compared to 2018, with requirements now existing in Indiana, Hawaii, Colorado, and other states. Additionally, a new feature of the Version 6.0/6.1 FWAS requires the auditor to answer a series of questions about their operating practices. Their answers are an additional set of information that was not produced in the 2018 data collection. This additional information will be included in WARD2025 and will give further insight into water utility practices for water efficiency and loss control, giving the drinking water industry new analysis and research opportunities. It is proposed that a project be undertaken to create the WARD2025 dataset, composed of data from validated water audits from an expanded number of states/provinces where annual water audit collection and data validation is required.
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AWWA Water Utility Disinfection Survey Analysis and Report
The AWWA Disinfection Committee and Staff have worked together to develop and implement the 2025 Water Utility Disinfection Survey. AWWA is seeking to hire a contractor/consultant to analyze the resulting data from the current survey, identify industry trends and changes in utility disinfection practices over time, particularly with respect to the previous survey, and summarize the data and analysis in the form of a technical report. The current survey is now closed, with it being open from July 10th, 2025, to September 19th, 2025. To that end, the data will be immediately available to the selected contractor by 2026. The contractor will also have access to the previously conducted survey, and the data and report therein. The Disinfection Committee aims to publish the data and findings in Journal AWWA.
View RFP
