WaterNow Alliance and AWWA recently hosted the Transformative Water Leadership Academy (TWLA) Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Workshop in Atlanta. The cohort, comprised of water utility professionals from across the United States and Canada, came together to learn, reflect, and grow as transformative leaders in the water sector who are equipped to advance DEI in their personal life, professional roles, and in their communities. Learn more about the activities, speakers, and take-aways from the three-day workshop below. Interested in learning more about TWLA? Check out our website! Thank ..read more

Through Project Accelerator, WaterNow partners with communities and water agencies to implement affordable, climate resilient, and equitable water solutions. Building upon the successes of two prior Colorado Regional Accelerators, this latest application cycle furthers our commitment to helping communities achieve their water conservation and efficiency goals. As we embark on this third round of Colorado projects, our focus remains on enhancing the existing library of sustainable water project examples and resources, fostering collaboration and knowledge sharing, and paving the way f ..read more

WaterNow Alliance is thrilled to announce the exceptional winners of our fourth annual Emerging Leader Awards! These awards are dedicated to recognizing and empowering mid-level professionals from under-represented backgrounds in the water utility sector who showcase promise and creativity in driving substantial transformation within the realms of sustainability, equity, and community engagement. As our largest cohort yet, the 2024 Emerging Leaders are making impactful and positive changes in their communities, leading to more equitable and climate resilient water management. Through the Emerg ..read more

WaterNow Alliance has expanded our geographic range of water infrastructure funding technical assistance by joining the Water, Wastewater, and Stormwater Assistance Program! In collaboration with the Southwest Environmental Finance Center (SW EFC) and team of partners, WaterNow is helping communities in EPA Region 6 (New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Louisiana) apply for and access existing State Revolving Fund (SRF) money, as well as additional Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) funding, for drinking water, stormwater and wastewater infrastructure projects.  It is not surprisin ..read more

  Scanning the horizon of red rocks and distant mountains surrounding Moab, Utah, the area’s total average rainfall of just under 10” annually is hardly a surprise. Precious water brings life to the desert, so the City of Moab’s water conservation goal, outlined in the most recent draft of its Water Conservation Plan passed in 2021, to develop a landscaping ordinance is also unsurprising. According to the Center for Water Efficient Landscaping at Utah State University, approximately 65% of culinary water consumption is applied to outdoor landscapes in Utah.  In Moab, residential wate ..read more

Photo of Broomfield's Xeriscape Demonstration Garden. Photo credit: City and County of Broomfield. On August 22, 2023, the Broomfield City Council unanimously adopted Ordinance No. 2215 which amends the Broomfield Municipal Code to be one of the strongest waterwise landscaping ordinances in Colorado. This was done as part of WaterNow Alliance’s Project Accelerator Program, with the goal to develop a new landscape ordinance that would reduce the amount of water intensive cool-season turfgrass and promote water efficient landscaping practices for new and redevelopment of residential and commerci ..read more

Photo Credit: Sam Dellaporta on Unsplash.com The Bureau of Reclamation’s WaterSMART Program provides financial assistance for the efficient use of water in the Western United States. Each year, Reclamation (USBR) allocates millions of dollars in grant funding through the WaterSMART Program to support Western States, Tribes, and local water providers as they plan and implement actions to advance their water efficiency and supply reliability priorities. Recently, increased funding for WaterSMART programs has been made available thanks to the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and Inflation Reduction ..read more

WaterNow is excited to announce a new Accelerator Project in Southwest Pennsylvania! Through Project Accelerator, we partner with communities and water agencies to champion sustainable, innovative water solutions. As part of our developing regional work in Southwest Pennsylvania, we have selected a new project, focused on stormwater management in this region.  Borough of Sharpsburg: Supporting the Development of a Comprehensive Stormwater Management Plan The Borough of Sharpsburg, located about five miles northeast of downtown Pittsburgh, along the Allegheny River, sits at the bottom of ..read more

Calling Southwest Pennsylvania water utilities and communities: apply for WaterNow’s Regional Project Accelerator!  We are excited to announce that we are now accepting applications for the next round of Project Accelerator – focused specifically on Southwest Pennsylvania communities. Offering 250 hours of pro-bono assistance to support innovative projects in sustainable and equitable water management, the Accelerator is open to cities, towns, or special districts responsible for drinking water, wastewater, and/or stormwater services. Depending on each community’s goals, the support provi ..read more

By Caroline Koch, Water Policy Director, WaterNow & Stephanie Vo, Senior Water Policy Associate, EPIC The Environmental Policy Innovation Center and WaterNow Alliance’s new report, Navigating Green Infrastructure Maintenance with Capitalized Establishment Costs, offers a key pathway to scaled investment in green infrastructure. For two decades, local stormwater managers have recognized green infrastructure (GI) as an effective, multi-benefit approach to manage stormwater. GI provides significant benefits for combating the water quality and climate change related challenges that municipalit ..read more