Twenty-five water utilities have been recognised by the Utility of the Future Today for their leadership in community engagement, watershed stewardship, and recovery of resources such as water, energy, and nutrients.
Utility of the Future Today, a recognition programme component, was launched in 2016 by four water sector organisations: The National Association of Clean Water Agencies (NACWA), the Water Environment Federation (WEF), the Water Environment & Reuse Foundation (WE&RF), and WateReuse, along with input from the United States (U.S.) Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
The Utility of the Future Today acknowledges and celebrates the achievements of forward-thinking innovative water utilities that offer resilient value-added services to communities.
Their framework provides a model for utilities of all sizes to follow and realise more efficient operations, improved productivity, and long-term sustainability.
Presently, the Utility of the Future concept is being promoted as the U.S.’s water systems continue to transform operations through innovation and technology. The 25 utilities recognised in 2017 are by recovering resources from wastewater, engaging in their community, forming unique partnerships, and building an internal culture of innovation.
“The innovations occurring within the water sector collectively present an opportunity for a paradigm shift in the way utilities think about and solve long-standing challenges,” Dr Eileen O’Neill, Executive Director of the Water Environment Federation, said. “WEF is excited to recognise these utilities that are already embracing innovative ways to better serve their communities.”
The following utilities are being recognised for the first time:
- Atlantic County Utilities Authority, New Jersey
- Beaufort-Jasper Water & Sewer Authority, South Carolina
- Brunswick Regional Water and Sewer, North Carolina
- Chesterfield County Department of Utilities, Virginia
- City of Cape Coral, Florida
- Little Rock Water Reclamation Authority, Arkansas
- City of Phoenix, Arizona
- City of Quincy, Washington
- City of Raleigh Public Utilities Department, North Carolina
- City of St. Cloud, Minnesota
- Columbus Water Works, Georgia
- Greenville Renewable Water Resources, South Carolina
- Greenwood Metropolitan District, South Carolina
- Hanover Sewerage Authority, New Jersey
- Lancaster Area Sewer Authority, Pennsylvania
- Loudoun Water, Virginia
- Lowell Regional Utility, Massachusetts
- West County Wastewater District, California
The utilities below are being recognised for a second year, but for a new area of performance:
- City of Fayetteville, Arkansas
- DC Water, District of Columbia
- Gwinnett County, Georgia
- King County, Washington
- Miami-Dade Water & Sewer, Florida
- San Francisco Public Utilities Commission, California
- Tucson Water, Arizona
The honourees will be recognised during an awards ceremony at WEFTEC 2017 this October in Chicago.
