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NACWA is pleased to announce the availability of the 2015 Water Resources Utility of the Future Annual Report2015 Water Resources Utility of the Future Annual Report . The Annual Report provides an update on developments in the utility of the future (UOTF) arena since the original UOTF Blueprint  was released in 2013. NACWA is providing this advance, members-only copy of the Report, but a more formal, public release is planned during WEFTEC later this month.

NACWA developed the Annual Report in collaboration with the Water Environment Federation (WEF), and the Water Environment Research Foundation (WERF) – the three organizations who partnered on the original Blueprint – as well as WateReuse. This Member Update provides a brief summary of the Report and some related activities intended to increase adoption of UOTF practices and initiatives.

Annual Report Highlights Formation of ‘Innovation Ecosystem’

The Annual Report describes recent accomplishments of clean water utilities on UOTF initiatives and explores the newest horizons for innovation across the sector. As the Annual Report was under development, a common theme from the range of UOTF-focused efforts began to emerge – that clean water utilities are often not acting alone as they embark on these initiatives. Innovation has instead occurred within an “innovation ecosystem” comprised of technology developers, consulting engineers and scientists, state and local government, the finance community and a wide range of professional organizations that represent the clean water sector. The Annual Report provides greater insight into how each of these stakeholders is contributing to the increasingly widespread adoption of UOTF practices and approaches.

The Annual Report was developed collaboratively with content provided by representatives and staff from each of the four partner organizations.

Building Momentum for the UOTF

NACWA continues to explore opportunities to highlight the innovation among the Association’s members to help increase the adoption of UOTF initiatives across the clean water community. The Annual Report will complement this effort and serve to increase the number and diversity of example projects. The Board recently formed an Industry of the Future Workgroup, led by NACWA Board Member Andy Kricun, Executive Director and Chief Engineer for the Camden County Municipal Utilities Authority, which is now focusing on how best to disseminate the innovative approaches and practices that are being embraced by top-performing utilities across the country. As the Annual Report is released, the Workgroup is looking for ways to feature the work of the utilities detailed in the Report as well as other utilities working in the UOTF space to bring the UOTF message to a broader audience of utilities of all sizes. The Workgroup is coordinating with EPA and a series of webinars is planned for the upcoming year. NACWA will provide more information on the scheduling of those webinars as it becomes available.

NACWA and its Association partners also plan to distribute the Annual Report to a variety of stakeholders once it is publically released.

Feedback and Additional Examples Welcome

As you review the Annual Report, NACWA welcomes your feedback and encourages you to share whether your agency is working on similar initiatives. Contact Chris Hornback at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it with any feedback or UOTF examples.