2025 AWE Member Awardees

For the past 16 years, the Alliance for Water Efficiency has recognized the outstanding achievements and impacts of our members through the presentation of annual member awards. The 2025 awardees were recognized during an Awards Reception hosted on the morning of August 8th, during AWE's 3rd Annual Water Efficiency & Conservation Symposium in Chicago, Illinois. Our Board of Directors, CEO, and staff were thrilled to honor the hard work, leadership, and dedicated service of several of our individual members and member organizations through these awards. Join us in celebrating our 2025 award winners!

Member-Nominated Awards

The following awards were selected from organizations and individuals nominated by AWE members.

Excellence in Equity: City of Surprise, AZ

The Excellence in Equity Award honors an AWE member who has made a significant contribution to advancing equity in water access, conservation, or efficiency. This year, we are honored to recognize the City of Surprise, AZ.

Through the City’s Plumbing Assistance Program, their team identified and addressed a gap: many low-income households, including seniors, veterans, and families, were facing water leaks that they couldn’t afford to repair. In response, the City’s Water Conservation and Utility Billing teams partnered to launch a grant-funded initiative that provides up to $1,500 for plumbing repairs, both indoors and out.

Funded through a grant from the Tohono O’odham Nation, the program supports residents earning at or below 100% of the area median income—reducing financial barriers and enabling safe, water-efficient living conditions for those most in need.

The City’s approach exemplifies DEIJ values in action—prioritizing accessibility, dignity, and resource equity. It not only improves water efficiency but also empowers residents through practical, community-centered support. For these reasons, we are proud to honor the City of Surprise with the 2025 Excellence in Equity Award.

Innovation in Business: Cavanaugh & Associates

This award recognizes an AWE business member with innovative technologies, services, or research that supports water efficiency.

It is our pleasure to honor Cavanaugh for their cutting-edge contributions to water efficiency, sustainability, and climate action. For decades, water utilities have focused on reducing system leakage to conserve water and save money. But Cavanaugh has taken this mission to a whole new level by unveiling a vital piece of the puzzle: the carbon footprint of leakage. Cavanaugh played a lead role in developing the IWA/AWWA White Paper Leakage Emissions Initiative, which introduced a globally recognized framework for quantifying the carbon footprint of water leaks. This work laid the foundation for the next version of AWWA’s Free Water Audit Software, launching in 2025, which will include a Carbon Balance module—empowering utilities to measure leakage-related emissions alongside traditional metrics.

By advancing the water-energy-carbon nexus, Cavanaugh is enabling utilities to align conservation with climate mitigation and long-term planning. In addition, their Water Loss Training Programs, audit validation services, and consulting have helped utilities across North America adopt these tools and reduce non-revenue water. Congratulations to Cavanaugh & Associates, the recipient of this year’s Innovation in Business Award.

Innovation in Utilities: Elsinore Valley Municipal Water District 

The Innovation in Utilities Award recognizes a utility that is advancing water efficiency through innovative practices, tools, or technologies.

This year, we’re thrilled to present the award to Elsinore Valley Municipal Water District, whose in-house innovation is transforming water loss control in Southern California.

Serving 160,000 residents and managing nearly 750 miles of pipeline, Elsinore Valley launched a utility-driven District Meter Areas (or DMA) initiative in 2022. Using an existing AMI network, they integrated customer usage data with pump station flow data to carve their system into ten District Metered Areas—allowing for precise, zone-level monitoring of water entering and exiting each area.

This approach enables:

• Faster identification and response to hidden leaks
• Proactive, data-informed zone monitoring using real-time analytics
• Annual meter testing and timely replacements to ensure billing accuracy
• Utility-led operations without outside contractors

The strategy is rooted in their 2020 System Optimization Review and has already helped the utility boost efficiency and transparency. Elsinore Valley also secured more than $70,000 in grant funding to support this project. Please join us in congratulating EVMWD, the 2025 Innovation in Utilities Award recipient.

Up & Comer: Valeria Galindo, Tucson Water

The Up and Comer Award recognizes a rising professional with fewer than five years in the field who has already made a significant impact in water efficiency, conservation, and sustainability. This year, we’re honored to celebrate Valeria Galindo, whose drive, creativity, and commitment to equity are shaping programs and outcomes in Tucson, AZ.

In just a few years on Tucson Water’s Conservation team, Valeria has led transformative improvements. She spearheaded the development of an online rebate and installation platform, streamlining a previously manual process into a more accessible and efficient experience for both customers and staff. She’s become the team’s go-to expert in Laserfiche, building digital tools that are now used across departments and with external partners.

Valeria brings a rare blend of technical skill and social purpose to her work, strengthening demographic data collection, championing Spanish-language outreach, and advancing Tucson Water’s equity and affordability goals. She recently volunteered to lead a new retrofit program for low-income multifamily households, helping to address barriers to conservation for underserved communities.

Valeria is also a gifted communicator who bridges design and policy to tell compelling stories and spark action. Her talent, initiative, and relentless curiosity make her a standout among the next generation of leaders in water efficiency.

Please join us in congratulating Valeria Galindo as the recipient of the 2025 Up and Comer Award.

Water Star: Peter Mayer, WaterDM

The Water Star Award honors an individual whose career has significantly advanced the field of water efficiency through vision, technical expertise, and long-term impact. This year, we are proud to recognize Peter Mayer, whose more than 30 years of leadership has shaped water use research, program design, and policy nationwide.

Peter is the lead author of the influential Residential End Uses of Water studies—published in 1999, 2016, and the forthcoming 2025 edition. These foundational research efforts have transformed how utilities and policymakers understand indoor and outdoor water use, and continue to serve as benchmarks for planning, rate setting, and conservation program design.

As founder of WaterDM, Peter has worked with over 100 utilities and public agencies, including the U.S. Supreme Court, California Department of Water Resources, and Metropolitan Water District of Southern California. His guidance has helped drive meaningful conservation outcomes, smarter policies, and better customer engagement.

Peter’s contributions extend across the Alliance for Water Efficiency community, where he has served as a longtime technical advisor and past editor of Water Efficiency Watch. He has shaped key AWE resources, advised on policy strategy, and contributed to the WaterSense & Water Efficient Products Committee.

His career highlights include co-founding the EPA WaterSense program, co-chairing AWWA’s G480 Water Conservation Standard, and advancing best practices in metering, rate design, and avoided cost analysis. Whether piloting emerging technologies or mentoring new professionals, Peter’s influence is deeply felt across the sector.

Known for his analytical mind, generous collaboration, and unwavering dedication to making water systems more sustainable, Peter Mayer exemplifies the spirit of this award. Please join us in celebrating Peter as the recipient of the 2025 Water Star Award.

Click here to learn about previous Water Star Awardees

Staff & Board-Nominated Awards

These awards are chosen by the AWE staff and Board of Directors. They honor individuals and organizations whose contributions to the Alliance have significantly impacted AWE as an organization.

Member of the Year Awards

The Member of the Year Award is an award intended to recognize an organizational member of the Alliance for Water Efficiency serving as a leader in the water efficiency and conservation community. An organizational member who has demonstrated consistent commitment to and support for the work of the Alliance for Water Efficiency--in recognition of their outstanding support and dedication to the Alliance for Water Efficiency and its mission to promote the efficient and sustainable use of water.

Affiliate Member of the Year: Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District

Over the past two decades, the Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District has established itself as a leader in regional water conservation and efficiency. Since its formation, per capita water use across the region has dropped by 30%—a testament to the District’s comprehensive rebate programs, public education efforts, technical support for local jurisdictions, and user-friendly tools for residents and businesses.

More recently, the District has taken a proactive role in addressing the water demands of data centers, convening cross-sector stakeholders to encourage dialogue, collaboration, and long-term planning that balances digital growth with sustainable water and energy use.

An AWE member since 2008, the District continues to actively engage with our community. Celine Benoit co-chairs the Water Efficiency Research Committee and serves as liaison for its Technology Development Task Force. She also contributes to the WaterSense & Water Efficient Products Committee. The District supports AWE’s Peak Demand Management & Evaluation Study and hosts our Water Use Calculator on their website, broadening its national impact.

For these reasons and more, we are proud to present the Affiliate Member of the Year Award to the Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District.

Business & Industry Member of the Year: Kohler Co.

Kohler Co. exemplifies the leadership and innovation we celebrate through the Business & Industry Member of the Year Award. A global design and manufacturing powerhouse, Kohler has elevated water conservation to a core business principle—embedding sustainability into its product development, operations, and partnerships.

A Silver-Level Charter Sponsor and AWE member for over 17 years, Kohler has played a key role in shaping our work. Samantha McLelland, Program Manager for Kohler’s Enterprise Water Strategy, serves on the AWE Board of Directors and its Revenue Committee. Mike Luettgen, Senior Principal Engineer, brings technical expertise to the Water Efficiency Research Committee. Kohler has consistently held board seats since 2015 and sponsored our last three Symposia at the Gold level.

For their enduring commitment to water efficiency and to our mission, we are pleased to honor Kohler Co. as the Business & Industry Member of the Year. Congratulations, and thank you to the entire Kohler team!

Water Supplier Member of the Year: City of Westminster, CO

The City of Westminster may be a small team, but they are a mighty one—bringing creativity, innovation, and an unwavering commitment to advancing water efficiency in everything they do. Their commitment to innovation and collaboration makes them a valued leader in the AWE network.

At the helm of much of this work is Drew Beckwith, who brings both vision and momentum to our shared efforts. Drew actively serves on the Water Efficiency Research Committee and the Conservation + AMI Network, and volunteers on the Program Advisory Committees for three ongoing AWE research projects. Thanks to his engagement, AWE’s work is more informed, impactful, and responsive to utility needs.

Westminster has also partnered with AWE on an AMI education pilot, testing strategies to reduce outdoor water use through targeted messaging. Their thoughtful approach to water efficiency exemplifies what’s possible through collaboration.

Please join us in celebrating the City of Westminster as this year’s Water Supplier Member of the Year!

Volunteer of the Year: Rick Maloy

Rick Maloy brings more than 18 years of experience in water conservation—and an unwavering commitment to advancing the field. As Strategic Initiatives Manager for the Central Utah Water Conservancy District, and an active member of AWE’s Board of Directors and Revenue Committee, Rick leads with both expertise and generosity.

Rick’s influence reaches well beyond his home state. This year, he played a critical role in helping AWE secure bipartisan Congressional support for the Water Conservation Rebate Tax Parity Act—a major step toward equitable tax treatment for water efficiency rebates.

He’s also a dedicated advocate for AWE within his organization, helping to secure the Central Utah Water Conservancy District’s 2025 Symposium sponsorship. Rick’s leadership, partnership, and advocacy make him an indispensable part of the AWE community.

We are honored to recognize Rick Maloy as this year’s Volunteer of the Year. Thank you, Rick!