On March 10 and 24, 2026, River Network hosted a two-part learning series related to our resource Keep the Water Flowing: Best Practices for Avoiding Water Shutoffs. The recordings of each session and related resources are below.

Part 1: Lessons and Best Practices from Chicago

In the first part of a 2-part series, Anna-Lisa Gonzales Castle, Director of Water Policy at Elevate, along with Kat Wheeler, Deputy Director at the City of Chicago’s Department of Finance, provided a brief overview of the best practices and tools included in the resource, as well as lessons learned from a non-profit-municipal partnership in Chicago, IL.  They spoke about their work addressing water shutoffs and affordability through a variety of programs and initiatives.

Tools and Templates:

• Chicago’s Leak Reduction Program
• Chicago’s Utility Billing Relief Program

Episode 2: The Community Forum

The second session of this series provided an opportunity to brainstorm and discuss how to implement the best practices with fellow advocates and utility and state staff. The discussion focused on tiered rate structures, policy choices, and customer assistance programs.

Tools & Templates:

• Community Groups Worksheet
• San Antonio Water Systems Affordability Program Water & Wastewater Rates (Uplift Assistance Program)