Strong International Relationships Matter

Abstract

How often have you been thankful that you know someone who can provide answers to your questions? A strong professional network certainly pays dividends in our careers and, not surprisingly, is a frequently referenced benefit of membership in AWWA. What might surprise you is that this is also a global benefit. About 2% of AWWA's members live outside of North America, in 97 countries. The top two reasons international members join AWWA are access to AWWA's technical resources and to the professional network. Sounds familiar, doesn't it?—water knowledge, and people who care about water knowledge, is why many of us here in North America belong to AWWA. Evidently it is also why water professionals not living in North America are members. AWWA has long had members who live outside of North America. Recognizing this fact, in 2013, AWWA adopted a new strategic plan that expressed its interest in actively engaging with its international members and other international stakeholders. The 2013 Strategic Plan—which was updated in 2016—stated AWWA's vision as “A better world through better water,” and as a result, a new strategic path began. AWWA's international program is led by its International Council, which is often referred to as the “IC.” The chair of the IC—Dr. Joe Jacangelo—also serves as a member of AWWA's executive committee and board, which is another example of the importance AWWA places on its international members and program. The IC has a well-structured strategic plan, based on four core principles. First, it strives to build awareness of AWWA's international brand outside North America; by doing so, the council makes it possible for other water professionals to benefit from the technical information AWWA provides. Second, the IC helps facilitate international knowledge-sharing and best practices. The benefit of these exchanges goes right to the heart of making a better world through better water—both in North America and abroad. Third, the IC takes the responsibility of providing value to AWWA's international members and North American members, which offers all of us a broader network in which to share information and a broader perspective of the importance of water. And finally, by adding different viewpoints, experiences, and knowledge sets, the IC helps achieve AWWA's core principle of fostering diversity and inclusion. It is critical to recognize that while AWWA has much to offer water professionals who live outside of North America, we also gain a great deal through these relationships. For example, several of the root concepts used in AWWA's Buried No Longer—the groundbreaking and often-cited report framing the price tag of replacing America's buried infrastructure—can be traced to an Australian asset replacement framework called the Nessie Curve. Similarly, the significant advancement—both technically and publicly—of water reuse by our colleagues in Singapore has helped advance AWWA's potable reuse program. A third example is innovation. Many countries have very active innovation programs for water—some because they have no other choice—and there is much we can learn, and have learned, from these revolutionary advancements. When asked what water issues they would like to learn about from another country, members of the AWWA board focused on three things. First, they were keen to learn about regulations and governance in other countries. Next, the symbiotic issues of pricing and consumption and how they compare with North America were of interest. Third, board members wanted to know what the top concerns are in various countries and what innovative solutions they use to address these issues. Interestingly, these three areas of focus are not that different from what we discuss with each other within North America. One of AWWA's international partner countries is India. AWWA has a long history of knowledge exchange with Indian water professionals and in 2015, AWWA opened an office in Mumbai. This was AWWA's first office outside of North America. The goal was simple: create a community much like an AWWA Section but in India. Now, with the help of AWWAIndia's strategic board and staff, membership has grown to over 250 members and in 2019, AWWAIndia will launch a series of training programs. India's water quality challenges are significant; by 2030 India is projected to be the most populated country in the world. Certainly, water and its public health and economic benefits will only become more important for India. With the partnerships we are forming in India, AWWA's past successes can help with the country's current and future water needs. The investments AWWA is making today to broaden its international network and impact will take time to gain momentum. That should be expected. And, as Dr. Jacangelo likes to say, “Most international activities begin with establishing strong relationships and while this takes time, the potential for establishing meaningful engagements is enhanced by such efforts.”