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Building Trust in Water: Connecting Communities and Utilities

Trust is the glue that allows for meaningful interactions between communities and institutions. Unfortunately, recent high-profile water quality crises and a long history of systemic marginalization have eroded many community members’ trust in their local water and wastewater services. The result has often been a lack of authentic communication and collaboration between utilities and residents, an issue made even more apparent as much-needed infrastructure investments prompt rising water and sewer bills in many communities.

This virtual panel discussion brings together community, utility, and policy perspectives to unpack the complex factors that break down trust in water across the United States and the innovative strategies being used to address this pressing challenge. In conversation with each other and session attendees, our speakers seek to explore the challenge of building trust between utilities and the people they serve as well as the role of this trust in creating healthy and vibrant communities.
Participants can expect to learn:
-The role of community trust in delivery of critical municipal services.
-The challenges that are driving distrust in today’s water and wastewater sector.
-How communities and utilities are working (separately and together) to address community water challenges and (re)build trust in water.‍

Panelists:
-Liz Barlick, Public Affairs & Communications Manager, Cleveland Water
-Melissa Mays, Organizations Manager, FlintRising
-Scott Berry, Director of Policy & Government Relations, US Water Alliance

Moderator:
-Max Herzog, Program Manager, Cleveland Water Alliance

Apr 20, 2023 01:00 PM in Eastern Time (US and Canada)