Water Efficiency Watch – July 2025

In this issue...

• 2025 Symposium
• AWE Organizational Updates
• Research Updates
• Policy Updates
• Member Spotlight
• News Briefs

2025 Water Efficiency & Conservation Symposium

The Countdown is On

The 2025 Water Efficiency & Conservation Symposium is right around the corner! Thank you to everyone who has been a part of shaping our program already, from submitting an abstract or nominating an awardee, to joining us an official sponsor! We are so excited to host everyone in Chicago for the 3^rd annual event, August 6-8, 2025.

While early bird registration closed in June, tickets for the Symposium will be available throughout the month of July. Don’t miss an opportunity to connect with some of the leading water efficiency and conservation practitioners from throughout North America!

The 2025 Symposium will continue the high-quality programming you expect from AWE events, featuring three days of professional development, meaningful networking, and idea sharing. The program includes short presentations, panels, and roundtables focused on actionable research, practical resources, and peer-to-peer learning for water efficiency and sustainability professionals.

2025 Symposium Sponsors
Thank you to all the generous sponsors partnering with us to host the 3^rd Annual Water Efficiency and Conservation Symposium with us in 2025!

• Platinum Sponsor: San Antonio Water System
• Gold Sponsors: Kohler, LIXIL, Moen, Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, Toro
• Silver Sponsors: Central Utah Water Conservancy District, East Bay Municipal Utility District, Flume, Healthy Green Spaces Coalition, Hunter Industries, International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials, Rain Bird, TouchGrid, Scotts Miracle Gro, Valley Water
• Bronze Sponsors:  Arizona Municipal Water Users Association, SCV Water, Turfgrass Water Conservation Alliance, Whirlpool Corporation
• Ala Carte Sponsors: Cavanaugh, City of Santa Fe, New Mexico Water Conservation Alliance, Regional Water Authority, Southern Nevada Water Authority, Yoppify

AWE Updates

Introducing our New Member Relations & Events Manager
In April, we welcomed Sophie Baumgartner to our team as our Member Relations & Events Manager! With a background in nonprofit administration, Sophie has extensive experience managing membership programs, developing and maintaining database systems, and optimizing data quality. Throughout her career, she has demonstrated a commitment to improving operations, stewarding relationships, and creating meaningful member experiences.

Prior to joining AWE, Sophie managed administrative operations and school-wide events at Urban Prairie Waldorf School and oversaw membership programs and industry conferences for multiple nonprofit trade organizations at SmithBucklin. In both roles, she leveraged CRM platforms and data systems to enhance member services and organizational efficiency.

Sophie earned her Bachelor of Arts from Kalamazoo College and a Master’s in Education from Antioch University. A lifelong learner passionate about environmental sustainability, she is excited to apply her skills to support AWE’s mission of promoting water efficiency and conservation.

Introducing our New Public Affairs Director
We’re excited to share a staffing update at AWE! Kelly Connolly Kern is now our Director of Public Affairs, after serving as our Director of Communications & Membership since 2022. In this expanded role, Kelly will continue to lead AWE’s strategic communications and champion our federal policy priorities and advocacy efforts in Washington, D.C.

With a strong background in public policy and coalition building, we are excited to have Kelly in this new position as we work to defend critically needed policies, funding, and programs for water efficiency at the national level. Kelly holds a Bachelor’s and Master’s in Social Work from Gordon College and Baylor University, respectively. Prior to joining the AWE staff, she served as Mayor Pro Tem and City Councilmember for the City of Waco, TX.

To contact Kelly on policy matters, reach out at kelly@a4we.org. Stay tuned, in July, we’ll also be welcoming a Senior Manager of Programs to the AWE team!

AWE Launches New Business & Industry Committee
In April, we launched a new AWE Advisory Committee, focusing on our business and industry members. This committee will meet every quarter and will be chaired by Sarah Musiker from the California Water Association, with support from AWE staffers Ron Burke and Kelly Connolly Kern. We look forward to fostering peer-to-peer collaboration, networking, and innovation between business and industry water sustainability professionals. Email Kelly to be added to the roster for future meetings.

Research Updates

Take Our Survey and Help Shape the Future of Utility Financial Resilience 

As part of WRF #5327 , AWE and Pacific Institute  are gathering insights from water utilities on how they're addressing revenue stability amidst declining or fluctuating demand.  Your input will help identify industry needs, effective business models, and practical strategies for more financially resilient utilities. Learn more and take the 15-minute survey here.

Community Engagement on Water Affordability in Suburban Cook County, IL 

As part of the Cook County Water Affordability Program, AWE launched a community engagement campaign in the Village of Riverdale, IL, to better understand residents’ experiences, perspectives, and challenges in managing water use and bills. Engagement opportunities included a community survey, focus group interviews with residents, and an in-person town hall community meeting. These conversations and insights help build a clearer picture of the barriers residents face and will inform recommendations tailored to Riverdale’s needs. By grounding this work in lived experience, we’re collaborating with the Village to develop more responsive and equitable water affordability solutions. The program is being administered by Elevate, and aims to help suburban Cook County residents who experience ongoing challenges to pay their water bills through technical assistance, bill relief, and leak repairs.  

Understanding Outdoor Water Use Behaviors for New-Homeowners: Irrigation Education Pilot in Round Rock, TX 

AWE launched a survey in the City of Round Rock, TX to gather information on residents’ perceptions and behaviors regarding outdoor water use ahead of this summer’s irrigation season. With 747 responses, the survey offers valuable insights to help the City of Round Rock effectively tailor its water conservation programs, messaging, and resources to meet residents where they are and right-size outdoor water use communication efforts.

As part of the pilot, a select group of residents received a Water Tips Calendar to use throughout the irrigation season, featuring guidance on watering schedules and irrigation and outdoor water use best practices. With funding from the Scotts Miracle-Gro Foundation, this project will synthesize current knowledge and previously researched efforts on behavior-based strategies to understand what drives residential outdoor water use and irrigation behaviors. 

Peak Water Demand Trends and Management Strategies Across North America 

AWE submitted our draft report for WRF #5265. The report explores peak demand drivers and trends across four core case studies, identifies peak demand management strategies and considerations, and provides examples and guidance for how to adopt and advance strategies across a diverse range of geographical, organizational, and demographic constraints. The draft reporting is being reviewed by WRF and AWE’s Program Advisory Committee. A final report will be available to AWE members later this year. 

With funding from The Water Research Foundation, this research will help water utilities across North America understand peak demand trends and patterns, as well as how climate change and shifting patterns influence these demands. It will also help utilities avoid unnecessary expenditures, minimize water bills, and extend the lifespan of existing water supplies and infrastructure.

AWE on the Road: Connecting at  CalWEP’s Peer-to-Peer and AWWA’s ACE Conferences 

AWE’s Program Team had a great time connecting with members and sharing ongoing research projects at the recent Peer-to-Peer conference hosted by CalWEP and AWWA’s ACE conference. At Peer to Peer, Amanda presented on the importance of embedding equity into water conservation and efficiency programs and gathered feedback from members on the development of an equity impact assessment tool. Over in Denver at ACE, Liesel presented ongoing research on “Evaluating and Optimizing Large-Scale Landscape Irrigation Strategies” and “Understanding Water Use in Mobile Homes” projects and joined a panel on the G480 standard. 

Liesel also received the American Water Works Association Water Conservation Division Award for Best JAWWA Article for “Proactive Leak Notification Programs Advance Conservation" - a summary of AWE’s larger study on impact of leak notifications. Congrats, Liesel! 

To stay up to date with AWE’s research, check out the “Active Research” section on our website here. 

Policy Updates

Championing the Water Conservation Rebate Tax Parity Act

One of AWE’s longstanding key policy priorities has been to end the taxing of water efficiency rebates. In March, bipartisan, bicameral legislation was introduced in the U.S. Senate and House. The Water Conservation Rebate Tax Parity Act would eliminate federal taxation of water efficiency rebates, a disincentive to participation and an administrative burden for agencies that issue rebates. Earlier this spring, AWE circulated  a sign-on letter to congressional leadership supporting this legislation. We are hopeful this could be the year to pass the Tax Parity Act. To add your organization’s name alongside 62 other partners, please email us.

AWE Partnering to Defend ENERGY STAR
Since the start of the new administration, Alliance for Water Efficiency has been actively engaged in a national coalition working to defend ENERGY STAR and federal water and energy efficiency standards. The coalition organized a powerful letter of support for ENERGY STAR signed by more than 1,100 companies (including appliance and plumbing manufacturers) and other organizations. The coalition is meeting with Congress, which can help preserve ENERGY STAR by continuing to fund it, as it did in 2018 when President Trump tried to eliminate the program. AWE believes revoking or weakening the federal standards is illegal, and we are exploring legal options to block these changes. Read our Action Alert for ways to get involved.

Major Rollbacks Proposed for Water & Energy Efficiency Standards
In May, the Trump Administration announced plans to roll back  or eliminate federal water and energy efficiency standards, including a directive targeting toilets, faucets, dishwashers, and more. Reports suggest a potential elimination of the ENERGY STAR® program is also under consideration. AWE is partnering with a multi-stakeholder coalition to oppose these rollbacks and will be submitting comments to the Department of Energy in defense of existing standards.

If your policy or government relations colleagues would like to connect with us directly, please feel free to email our CEO at Ron@a4we.org. Read our full response and what’s at stake in our latest news release.

Defending Funding for WaterSMART Programs
President Trump’s Fiscal Year 2026 budget proposes to eliminate funding for all Bureau of Reclamation WaterSMART programs, including WaterSMART Grants, Basin Studies, and the Cooperative Watershed Management Program. These cuts would have serious consequences for communities working to improve water efficiency, drought resilience, and watershed health.

To stay up to date with AWE’s policy work, check out our Policy Priorities and Policy Activities sections of our website. 

Recent Webinars 

Water Efficiency Trends in Golf Course Management
AWE and WaterSense hosted a webinar on May 1^st as a part of the Outdoor Water User Webinar series!

Across the United States, golf continues to grow in popularity. The sport draws millions of people annually, providing a space to socialize, be outdoors, and challenge personal skills. Golf courses are often known for their impressive grounds and views, but how are golf courses managing those landscapes? How do they use design and management practices to preserve water resources, and how can utilities partner with golf courses to promote these water conservation efforts? Tune in to hear from guest speakers Dr. Matteo Serena from the U.S. Golf Association and Deirdre Irwin from St. John River Water Management District in Florida to learn more. Watch the recording here.

Texas Drought Enforcement Webinar
The Texas Section AWWA, AWWA, and AWE hosted a webinar on drought enforcement on on Wednesday, May 28th.

Current weather is heating up, which means summer and “watering season” are on the way! This informative webcast presented the current weather conditions and summer outlook across Texas. Watch the recording to hear from representatives with AWWA and AWE about available resources for utilities on drought messaging, strategies, and studies. And we’ll hear from some utilities about the strategies that are working for them when it comes to enforcing drought restrictions and educating their customers. Watch the recording here.

AWE Member Spotlights

Mesa Water District Launches a Water Education Center
Congratulations to Mesa Water District on launching the Mesa Water Education Center, a first-of-its-kind facility in Orange County, California, that’s bringing water education to life for students and the community.

Opened in January, the center is packed with interactive exhibits designed to spark curiosity about water—from exploring underground aquifers to tasting the district’s unique “redwood tea” (water that’s been filtered through ancient redwood remnants for 12,000 years!). As the LA Times put it, “Most kids dream of careers in fashion or music, not hydrogeology or water engineering—but Mesa Water is working to change that through educating students about the earth’s climate, weather systems, and the water cycle.”

This hands-on approach helps students see water in action, understand the infrastructure that keeps it flowing, and even experiment with their own mini aquifers. With a 100% local, drought-resilient supply, Mesa Water is not just ensuring reliability; it’s inspiring the next generation to consider careers in water.

We love to see our members leading the way in engaging, impactful water education. Well done, Mesa Water!

Seminole County, FL Proclaims April as Water Conservation Month  
Congratulations to Seminole County for passing a proclamation declaring April as Water Conservation Month, joining a statewide effort to spotlight the importance of protecting Florida’s water resources. The County’s water policy and communications teams aligned the proclamation with their Holistic Water Policy and strategic priorities, ensuring strong support from the Board. Their efforts also tied the proclamation to existing initiatives like the Irrigation Smart Controller Rebate and local cleanup events. Fellow AWE member Deirdre Irwin from the St. Johns River Water Management District joined the meeting to share appreciation and emphasize the power of regional collaboration.

National Wildlife Federation Releases Planning for a Water Resilient Texas Report
National Wildlife Federation, in partnership with Texas Living Waters, Sarah Diringer, PhD, and Peter Mayer, released a timely new report: Planning for a Water Resilient Texas: Water Loss & Conservation Over the Next 10 Years. Co-authored by former AWE Board Member Jennifer Walker, the report highlights how Texas utilities plan to save over 270,000 acre-feet of water per year by 2034, enough to meet the annual needs of 1.7 million Texans.

With Texas facing mounting challenges from drought and population growth, this report outlines actionable strategies for achieving meaningful water savings through conservation and water loss mitigation. It also offers critical recommendations for how state leaders and decision-makers can support utilities in meeting their long-term goals. A round of applause to this great project team on completing an important guide! Read the full report here.

News Briefs

AZ Drought Persists: 'You Can't Get Much Lower Than This,' Experts Say of Snowmelt. Read More.
The Tenth Annual Value of Water Index Shows Stronger-Than-Ever Bipartisan Support for Water. Read More.
Water Bills Have Been Rising at Twice the Rate of Inflation. Read More.
Regional Climate Centers Shut Down Abruptly This Week. Here's Why It Matters. Read More.
Trump Aims to Slash 55% of EPA’s Budget. Read More.
Trump DOE’s Latest Move Would Roll Some Energy Standards Back Decades. Read more.
In a City Defined By its River, Drought and a Bursting Population Threaten the Local Water Supply. Read More.