About AWWA
Founded in 1881, the American Water Works Association (AWWA) is the world’s oldest and largest nonprofit scientific and educational society dedicated to the improvement of water quality and supply. AWWA’s more than 57,000 members represent the full spectrum of the drinking water community: treatment plant operators and managers, scientists, environmentalists, manufacturers, academicians, regulators, and others who hold genuine interest in water supply and public health. Membership includes more than 4,500 utilities that supply water to roughly 180 million people in North America.
Headquartered in Denver, Colorado, with a Government Affairs office in Washington, D.C., AWWA is the authoritative resource for knowledge, information, and advocacy to improve the quality and supply of water in North America and beyond:
Advocacy
AWWA has joined with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and other professional organizations in the drinking water community to create the “Partnership for Safe Water”. The goal of this cooperation is to provide a new measure of safety to millions of Americans by implementing prevention programs where legislation or regulation does not exist. The preventative measures are based around optimizing water system operation and thus increasing protection against microbial contamination in America's drinking water supply.
Communications
AWWA provides consumer information as well, through this site, www.drinktap.org.
AWWA also launched "Only Tap Water Delivers", a grassroots and media campaign to help water systems and local officials communicate about the value of tap water services to consumers, media and other stakeholders.
In another recent campaign, AWWA—in partnership with Water Environment Federation—launched Work for Water. The corresponding website is designed to demonstrate the value of careers in the water industry and to be a resource for job seekers and recruiters.
Conferences
AWWA conducts more than 50 conferences, workshops, seminars and teleconferences annually to educate the drinking water profession on wide-ranging issues including optimizing productivity, regulatory compliance, water science, contaminants, and management issues.
Every year, AWWA’s Annual Conference and Exposition (ACE) is one of the largest meetings on water issues held anywhere in the world, drawing more than 12,000 attendees.
Education and Training
AWWA offers the most extensive online learning program available for promoting the continuing education of the nation’s water utility operators.
AWWA’s three publications, Streamlines, Opflow and Journal AWWA, and its award-winning website provide the drinking water community with extensive information on legislative actions, regulatory challenges and cutting-edge scientific research.
Science and Technology
Since 1908, AWWA has developed industry standards that govern the operations of community tap water providers throughout the world. Today, AWWA standards direct the use of 116 products and processes critical to the provision of safe drinking water.
Sections
AWWA has 43 local sections in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
Water for People
Through Water for People, AWWA and the drinking water profession promote the provision of safe drinking water around the world, particularly in underdeveloped countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America.
Water Research Foundation
The Water Research Foundation, once part of AWWA, serves to advance the science of water by funding research projects that improve water quality, water infrastructure, and sustainability.
