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We’re working alongside communities to scale innovative water management strategies

We’re working alongside communities to scale innovative water management strategies. Tap into the movement.

Communities across the country are grappling with the challenges of aging water infrastructure, regional management concerns, and a lack of funding to adequately address these integrated issues. As part of WaterNow Alliance’s mission to help water leaders solve their most pressing challenges, the team has launched the Tap into Resilience initiative to build water resilience at the community level and assist utilities nationwide with the adoption of localized water infrastructure.

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About WaterNow Alliance

WaterNow Alliance was recently successful in achieving new national policy guidance that unlocks large-scale capital funding for localized water solutions  like efficiency programs and green infrastructure. Tap into Resilience brings new attention to this clarification and provides water leaders nationwide with the tools and inspiration to scale investment in sustainable, localized water infrastructure. Together we can responsibly combat growing stormwater, wastewater, and drinking water challenges. Jump in! 

Our goals:

– Inspire water leaders to invest in and employ localized water solutions
– Spotlight the real-world benefits of localized strategies by elevating successful case studies from communities across the country
– Provide tangible resources to inform decision-makers, financiers, and ratepayers about decentralized water solutions and available capital funding for new infrastructure projects

Our communities need clean, affordable water and healthy, resilient ecosystems. Localized water solutions can help us get there, without breaking the bank. Join the movement and help lead the next chapter of water in the US.

Tap into Resilience events

Communities across the country are finding new channels for sustainable water solutions. See updates from the initiative, view upcoming opportunities to engage.

Making the Case for Affordability: Tools for Fiscal…

Overview & Objectives: Ensuring water, wastewater, and stormwater services are affordable for all customers is essential to protecting public health and addressing environmental justice concerns. Utilities and municipalities are well…

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Building Green Solutions with EPA’s Sewer Overflow and…

EPA’s Sewer Overflow and Stormwater Reuse Municipal Grant (OSG) program can fund both gray and green stormwater infrastructure needed to manage stormwater and address sewer overflows. This flexible federal grant…

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2023 Emerging Leader Award Ceremony

WaterNow will host our 2023 Emerging Leader Awards Ceremony on August 9th from 2-3 pm EDT. Join us to celebrate this year’s cohort, who are advancing innovative, sustainable, and equitable…

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Navigating Green Infrastructure Operations & Maintenance

For two decades, local stormwater managers have recognized green infrastructure as a centerpiece One Water strategy that is an effective, multi-benefit approach. Yet, green infrastructure has mostly remained on the…

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Where to Start: Tapping Into Federal Funding Opportunities…

The recently passed federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), Bipartisan Infrastructure Act (BIL), and Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) present an immense opportunity to address current and emerging needs around watershed…

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Leveraging Capital Markets to Accelerate Lead Service Line…

The new $15 billion in federal funding for lead service line replacements, as vital and historic as it is, is dwarfed by the estimated $47 billion need to address this…

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Building Capacity in Frontline Communities Through Partnerships

WaterNow Alliance will host a 1-hour virtual workshop for utility and community leaders in frontline communities nationwide on how they can use partnerships to meet their most pressing water challenges.…

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Meeting Water Challenges with Equitable Distributed Infrastructure

WaterNow Alliance will host a 1-hour virtual forum for utility and community leaders nationwide on how they can implement equitable distributed water infrastructure to meet their most pressing water challenges…

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Expanding Frontline Communities’ Access to Federal Funding

WaterNow Alliance, in partnership with River Network, will host a 1-hour virtual seminar for utility and community leaders nationwide facing the first, and worst, water challenges—from flooding, to drought to…

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Member Briefing: EPA’s Strategies for Ensuring Equitable Access…

Join WaterNow and key Environmental Protection Agency staff on June 15 at 10am PT / 1pm ET for a 1-hour virtual member* briefing on implementation the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs…

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Financing Innovation: Colorado State Revolving Fund

Join WaterNow and administrators of Colorado’s State Revolving Fund (SRF) loan program and the Colorado Water Conservation Board (CWCB) for for a 1-hour webinar to deepen local Colorado water leaders’…

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Tapping into Federal Funding:

Part of WaterNow’s ongoing Tap into Resilience series this webinar will explore how local leaders can leverage Housing and Urban Development loans for innovative water infrastructure investments. WaterNow’s Tap into…

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Tapping into Federal Funding:

WaterNow’s third webinar in the Tap into Federal Funding series will feature an increasingly important sustainable water funding program for Western communities: Bureau of Reclamation’s WaterSMART grants. This event will…

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Tapping into Federal Funding:

As part of WaterNow’s ongoing Tap into Resilience series, this webinar will explore how local leaders can access State Revolving Fund to finance innovative water infrastructure investments. WaterNow’s Tap into…

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Tap Into Resilience Summit

It is a new day, and local water leaders hold the nation’s water future in their hands. They also face a new normal shaped by climate change, the pandemic and…

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Financing the Future of Water

External Event Hosted by The Commonwealth Club For most Americans, water will be the primary delivery system through which they personally experience the effects of climate changes: drought, floods, storm…

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Tapping into the TiR Toolkit: Training Webcast

WaterNow’s ongoing Tap into Resilience training series continues! This webcast dives into resources related to green stormwater management. WaterNow Alliance’s ongoing Tap into Resilience webcast series continues for water leaders and…

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Tapping into the TiR Toolkit Webcast: Unlocking Financial…

  Register today for WaterNow’s free webcast on November 12 at 10:30am PST to learn how your community can access new ways to finance lead service line replacements. Hear from…

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Tap into Resilience News

Visit our blog to see what’s been making a splash.

WaterNow’s 2024 Emerging Leaders: Diverse, Dedicated, Driven Changemakers

This has been a big month for WaterNow's Emerging Leader Program! Together with our partners at the Water Center at Penn, we gathered in Philadelphia to extend our congratulations to…

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New Report Highlights How to Finance Green Infrastructure…

By Caroline Koch, Water Policy Director, WaterNow & Stephanie Vo, Senior Water Policy Associate, EPIC The Environmental Policy Innovation Center and WaterNow Alliance’s new report, Navigating Green Infrastructure Maintenance with…

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Investing in Local Water Infrastructure for a Resilient,…

By Peyton Siler Jones, Program Director of Sustainability, National League of Cities, in collaboration with Cynthia Koehler, Executive Director, WaterNow Alliance City leaders are essential decision makers in stewarding our…

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WaterSMART Grant Application Support & Help Desk

[caption id="attachment_15326" align="alignnone" width="936"] Photo Credit: US Department of the Interior Bureau of Reclamation[/caption] Established in 2010, the Bureau of Reclamation’s WaterSMART (Sustain and Manage America’s Resources for Tomorrow) Program…

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Announcing the 2023 Emerging Leader Award Winners!

WaterNow Alliance is excited to announce the winners of our third annual Emerging Leader Awards! The Emerging Leader Award is dedicated to celebrating and advancing mid-level professionals from backgrounds under-represented…

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Announcing WaterNow’s New Project Accelerator Winners

Drumroll please...WaterNow is excited to announce our next round of Project Accelerators!  Every year we partner with cities and water agencies to champion sustainable, innovative water solutions. Today we announce…

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WaterNow Announces Second Round of Colorado Regional Accelerator…

Through Project Accelerator, WaterNow partners with communities and water agencies to champion sustainable, innovative water solutions. This application cycle built on the first Regional Project Accelerator, piloted last winter in Colorado. Participating…

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Project Accelerator comes to Southwest Pennsylvania

WaterNow is excited to announce a new Accelerator Project in Southwest Pennsylvania! Through Project Accelerator, we partner with communities and water agencies to champion sustainable, innovative water solutions. As part…

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Rachio: Making Sustainable Water Use Effortless and Personally…

At Rachio, whose mission is to "make sustainable water use effortless and personally rewarding", saving water has always been a major source of motivation and inspiration. With their smart sprinkler…

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Sustainability Spotlight: Connecting Water Management to Public Health

A conversation with Dr. Georges Benjamin, Executive Director, American Public Health Association   This month WaterNow Alliance and our members and partners had the opportunity to connect with Dr. Georges…

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WaterNow Members Help Put California on the Path…

In exciting news, California now prioritizes working to eliminate tax barriers as a way to drive greater efficiency of water use in all sectors. As recommended by WaterNow and our…

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Tapping into the Health and Equity Benefits of…

Stormwater management is one of the greatest challenges communities face today, but solutions shared by national experts Dr. Georges Benjamin and Hannah Grooms on a recent WaterNow Alliance webinar have…

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Philadelphia Water Department – Driving equitable participation in…

The Philadelphia Water Department (PWD), a public utility with origins dating back to 1801, provides drinking water, stormwater, and wastewater services to the City of Philadelphia and 10 municipalities located…

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Stimulus for $ustainability Toolkit

As local and state governments navigate the ever-evolving impacts of COVID-19, Congress and the Biden-Harris Administration continue to discuss ways to Build Back Better and spur economic recovery following early…

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Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District – Driving equitable…

Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District (MSD) provides sanitary sewer collection and treatment and stormwater management services to 362,000 single-family residences and 26,000 commercial/industrial businesses for a total population of approximately…

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Tucson Water: Efficiency Means Avoided Costs

Tucson Water provides drinking water and reclaimed water services to about 720,000 people in the larger Tucson-metropolitan area. Tucson is located in southern Arizona in a region that is part…

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Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District is Weathering the Storm…

Milwaukee, Wisconsin, sits on the shores of Lake Michigan at the confluence of three rivers: the Menomonee, the Kinnickinnic, and the Milwaukee. Its location in the Great Lakes Region means…

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One Water LA: One Water Planning in Action

The city’s Department of Water & Power—the nation’s largest water municipal water agency—provides water service to about 680,000 connections. The Sanitation District, part of the Department of Public Works, is…

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SFPUC’s New Grant Program Incentivizes Local Property Owners…

On February 19th, the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC) launched its new Green Infrastructure Grant Program. With a goal of reducing the amount of stormwater runoff entering SFPUC’s sewer…

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Introducing Tap Into Resilience! – The Groundbreaking New…

Communities nationwide are facing a dizzying array of water challenges from drought, to failing infrastructure, to flooding, to water quality decline. Local water leaders – responsible for the vast majority…

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San Antonio Water System: Scaling drought resilience with…

Over the last few decades, water supply in San Antonio had become increasing limited due to legislative restrictions on municipal aquifers, rapid population growth and an expanding economy, a period…

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Go Green: Muni Bond Financing for Distributed Water…

In partnership with Earth Economics, WaterNow Alliance has published a new detailed guide on how to finance green and distributed infrastructure. Distributed infrastructure (DI) refers to technologies – e.g.,high-efficiency appliances,…

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Breaking News: Financing the Future of Water Infrastructure

WaterNow’s work is in the news! As explained by our Executive Director, Cynthia Koehler, in her 3-part blog series on financing the future of water infrastructure, the Government Accounting Standards…

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WaterNow in the News: Municipal Water Conservation Finds…

The Walton Family recently did a spotlight on WaterNow Alliance and the work that we’ve done to convene elected officials, utility management, staff, and other municipal water leaders to educate…

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Financing the Future of Water Infrastructure Just Got…

From the Executive Director, Cynthia Koehler:   On May 7, 2018, a little-known accounting organization approved a technical implementation guide indicating that public utilities have the option of capitalizing certain…

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Part 2: Financing the Future of Water Infrastructure…

From the Executive Director, Cynthia Koehler: At WaterNow’s recent Summit in Salt Lake City, we asked our attendees whether they were familiar with the term “distributed infrastructure.” Some were and…

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Part 3: Financing the Future of Water Infrastructure…

From the Executive Director, Cynthia Koehler: Public water utilities, particularly larger ones, are expert in financing water infrastructure. To build treatment facilities, pump stations, pipelines or reservoirs, they float low-cost…

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Tap into Resilience

A WaterNow Alliance Initiative

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Whether you have a project that needs support or are just dipping your toe in, our team of experts is here to help.

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