Communicating the Value of Water

Communication, both within the utility and with external stakeholders, is essential for the long term sustainability of utilities. One of the biggest challenges that utilities face is the ability to obtain the finances necessary to complete projects related to water quality and water quantity. If the utility can effectively communicate the value of the water services it provides and the value of water as a life-sustaining resource, customers may be more prudent in their use of water and more willing to pay higher rates, city decision makers will be more likely to approve rate increases, and the utility will be more likely to gain the finances needed for long term sustainability. The goal of this project was to develop practical guidance and tools that can be used by water officials to properly communicate the value of water.


The specific objectives were as follows:

Research available studies related to communication with customers and stakeholders both in the water utility field as well as other organizations that require public support to glean "lessons learned"
Supplement the available studies with surveys and workshops that are directly related to communicating the value of water
Develop a branding strategy that builds public trust and communicates the utility value proposition to the customer and stakeholder
Develop specific guidelines, plans, and processes, along with communication tools, that can be used by water utilities to devise a communication program for their water utility



The approach for completing this project started with an extensive literature search on the topic of communicating the value of water followed by several workshops, meetings, focus groups, and interviews to help identify key messages to be used in communications plans. The information collected in these project activities was summarized and used to develop a step-by-step model for communications planning. The model incorporates aspects of strategic planning, communications gap analysis, behavioral gap analysis, branding, and national communications efforts. An electronic Communications Toolkit providing various tools and example communications materials to assist utilities was also developed.