» Member Updates Archive

Following the release of the Water Resources Utility of the Future. . . Blueprint for Action  in January, NACWA, the Water Environment Research Foundation (WERF) and the Water Environment Federation (WEF) have started to advance the priorities set out in the Blueprint through research, advocacy, communications and new initiatives. Last week, the Utility of the Future (UOTF) Steering Committee met via conference call to discuss progress on key initiatives and next steps. The Steering Committee agreed to continue its work to provide high level, strategic oversight to ensure that the organizations are working to achieve the goals set out in the Blueprint, and wherever possible, to collaborate on shared objectives.

This Member Update provides an overview of collaborative UOTF efforts as well as efforts that each partner organization is undertaking, lists some of the media coverage the effort has received, and outlines next steps as NACWA continues to advance UOTF initiatives.

Water Resources Utility of the Future Initiative Update and Next Steps

NACWA, WERF and WEF are continuing to collaborate on the development of legislation; support for energy policies that recognize the role of clean water agencies in helping move the country toward energy independence; and efforts to bring innovative approaches and technologies to the marketplace in the energy, reuse, resource recovery, resiliency and green infrastructure.

Below is an update of collaborative UOTF efforts as well as efforts that each of the organizations is undertaking since the release of the Blueprint.

NACWA

• Call for Federal Action: In April, NACWA released the Water Resources Utility of the Future. . . A Call for Federal Action which draws from the Blueprint  . The Call for Federal Action identifies ten tangible advocacy-based actions the federal government can take to help realize the shared vision for the UOTF. NACWA plans to use the publication as a key tool for advocacy efforts with Congress, the Administration and other key stakeholders to advance shared UOTF goals.
• Utility of the Future Legislation: In line with both the Blueprint and the Call for Federal Action, NACWA recently issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) to draft legislative language that would advance tax incentives and pilot programs to spur investment in technologies and approaches in support of resource recovery, energy production, water reuse and green infrastructure technologies. The deadline for submission of proposals was Friday, May 31st. This is a jointly funded effort between NACWA, WEF and WERF.
• Congressional Clean Water Caucus: NACWA has taken the first steps to create a Congressional Caucus to advance UOTF technologies and innovations in Congress. NACWA drafted a proposal and has secured bipartisan Members of Congress to chair the Caucus in preparation to launch in advance of its Summer Conference in July.
• Presentations and Outreach: In addition to distributing the Blueprint and Call for Federal Action, NACWA staff and member agency representatives, including UOTF Task Force Chair Tom Sigmund and Steering Committee Member Suzanne Goss, have presented or will present the UOTF initiative at other organizations’ meetings, including the Wet Weather Partnership Workshop, the 2013 Annual Salinity Summit, the California Association of Sanitation Agencies (CASA) mid-year conference, the Florida Water Environment Association meeting, the Oregon Association of Clean Water Agencies, and the upcoming American Water Works Association (AWWA) Annual conference. Additionally, NACWA has developed a template PowerPoint presentation that is available to provide an overview of the UOTF effort and to tailor to specific audiences.
• Marketing and Design: Along with the release of the Call for Federal Action, NACWA created a logo for the UOTF (seen above). NACWA hopes to work with WEF and WERF to continue to market the UOTF and eventually develop a website to house all key products and data that are part of the UOTF effort.

WEF

• Energy Roadmap: Released the WEF Energy Roadmap Guidance Document at the 2013 Energy-Water Conference (Click here ).
• Nutrient Roadmap: Collaborated with the Johnson Foundation and the Environmental Defense Fund to convene a working meeting, “Crafting a Vision for Nutrient Management in Wastewater Treatment” with plans to work with water sector partners to develop a Nutrient Roadmap later this year.
• EPA Headquarters “Innovation in Urban Water Infrastructure” Public Lecture: Hosted a public lecture on May 14 at EPA Headquarters in Washington, DC in conjunction with WERF and EPA, “Innovation in Urban Water Infrastructure: An Imperative To Achieve Sustainability,” led by Dr. Kala Vairavamoorthy of the University of South Florida Patel College of Global Sustainability.
• Green Infrastructure Innovation Workshop: Organized a workshop to help promote green infrastructure innovation, “Supporting Low Impact Development Competitions in EPA Region 3 and Beyond” in conjunction with the Chesapeake Bay Trust and EPA Region 3.
• Operator Strategy Work Group: Forming an Operator Strategy Work Group whose outputs may link closely to UOTF. The group’s charge is the “development of an overarching and forward-looking WEF strategy for supporting the professional development of trained and credentialed operators with skills that meet current and anticipated future utility needs.” Activity will start this summer and continue through the end of the calendar year.
• Leaders Innovation Forum for Technology (LIFT): Joint effort with WEF and WERF (see WERF description below).

WERF

• Moving Innovation into Practice: A joint effort between WERF and WEF is facilitating the adoption of innovative technologies. Known as LIFT (Leaders Innovation Forum for Technology), this initiative includes a Technology Evaluation Program that screens and evaluates emerging technologies with promise and enables utility partnerships to share information and development efforts to move these technologies into practice faster.
• Recovering resources from wastewater: From reclaimed water to energy and nutrients, WERF research is supplying the science to recover these valuable resources efficiently and cost-effectively. Recent research includes 6 studies on energy efficiency, 11 studies to promote energy recovery, 2 tools for energy recovery and 1 tool to enhance energy efficiency plus additional reports and studies on nutrient recovery, water reuse and sustainable water services. The outcome is information and results that enable the advances to water resource recovery plants.
• Integrated Water Management Systems: WERF is acting as a catalyst in the shift to an interwoven network that manages water in an integrated and sustainable approach between water resources, water quality, wastewater services and wet weather management.
• Strategic Asset Management: Effective water infrastructure management means using assets from pipes to above ground facilities in a balanced way to ensure the assets provide the intended services over their asset life. WERF is providing science-based decision support tools, techniques and methods to sustain service and extend asset life.
• Promoting Green Infrastructure: WERF is partnering to release tools and materials to support sustainable Low Impact Development (LID) and green infrastructure such as green roofs to bioretention.

Media Coverage and Additional Outreach

In addition to the efforts of NACWA, WERF and WEF, media outlets are picking up on the UOTF concept.  Below is a list of media stories that have been forwarded to us and if you have seen additional stories please forward those to NACWA’s Claire Moser at  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

• Press Release: Clean Water Groups Collaborate to Shape the Utility of the Future, January 31, 2013
• Clean-Water Groups Collaborate to Shape the Utility of the Future, Treatment Plant Operator (TPO) Magazine, February 1, 2013
• Clean Water Groups Shaping Future Utilities, Environmental Protection, February 4, 2013
• Clean Water Utilities Take on Growing Role in Resource Recovery, Sustainability, NACWA Blog, February 12, 2013
• Water: Safe, Swimmable, Fishable, Affordable, Sustainable, MS Consultants: Engineers, Architects, Planners, February 20, 2013
• New Plan for Water Utilities of the Future has Merit, but Faces Big Hurdles, Smart Grid News, February 28, 2013
• “The Water Resources Utility of the Future”, All One Water, March 13, 2013
• Green Fuse: Spring Season Ignites Renewed Sustainability Goals, Water and Wastes Digest Magazine, March 15, 2013
• Water Agencies Can No Longer Be The “Silent Utility”, Blue Tech News, April 2013
• The Water Resources Utility of the Future, Florida Water Resources Journal, Paul Pinault, President, FWEA, April 2013
• 10 Minutes with Adel Hagekhalil, BC Water News, April 17, 2013
• Sewer Plant Praised by Group, The Leader-Herald, May 12, 2013
• Four Childhood Lessons to Innovate the Water Industry, Water-Wise Blog, May 20, 2013
• Energy Roadmap – Directions to the “Utility of the Future”, WEF Blog, May 22, 2013
• Language Matters, Or What Should I Do With My Banana Peel?, The Sallan Foundation: Useful Knowledge for Greener Cities, June 1, 2013
• Green Infrastructure and Future Water Leaders: An Interview with Jeff Eger, Eco-business, June 13, 2013
• Why Resilience May Not be Ignored, Water Crunch, June 2013

NACWA Next Steps

As NACWA, WEF and WERF continue to make progress on these initiatives, the Association plans to actively participate in all collaborative efforts and continue its advocacy on Capitol Hill, with the Administration and other key stakeholders. Specifically, NACWA has prioritized the ten actions outlined in NACWA’s Call For Federal Action that call on Congress, EPA, and other key federal agencies to rethink their relationship to the water sector and take necessary steps to put the UOTF within reach for all clean water agencies. Progress on many of these actions is already being made: the bipartisan Clean Water Caucus will be launched later this summer and development of UOTF legislation will soon be underway. Additionally, NACWA staff has been meeting with key officials in the Department of Energy, the Department of the Interior and other key stakeholders to advance UOTF priorities.

NACWA will continue to advocate for all UOTF issues and keep the membership updated of any developments in the Association’s actions and collaborative efforts. For ongoing updates on NACWA’s UOTF activities and links to useful resources, visit the Water Resources Utility of the Future issue page on NACWA’s website. If you have any questions on the UOTF initiative please contact Claire Moser at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it and she will make sure you are put in touch with the appropriate staff.