Building Blocks of Trust: Creating Authentic and Equitable Relationships Between Community Organizations and Water Utilities
Building Blocks of Trust Report
Want to know how to build strong relationships with your local water utility for clean and safe water? Learn from successful partnerships around the country in our report with WaterNow Alliance, Building Blocks of Trust: Creating Authentic and Equitable Relationships Between Community Organizations and Water Utilities.
In this report you’ll find best practices and case studies you can apply locally to create and bolster relationships that will improve the health of waterways and communities.
Trust between water utilities and community organizations is critical for successful decision making and investing that leads to safe, clean and sustainable water for all, and we hope that the lessons shared in our report can help seed and inspire many more such relationships.
For a summary of the report, download this three-page summary of all the Building Blocks or watch the videos below: a highlight video telling the story of this work and a recent Peer Call with participating partnerships.
Ripples of Change: Guidelines and Templates for Building Your Own Community Water Academy
Set up your own Community Water Academy, based on the Building Blocks, with our Ripples of Change Toolkit. Community Water Academies provides water managers and the communities they serve a forum to better understand local issues and needs as one step to creating and maintaining equitable and durable partnerships. These Academies will help you fulfill the Building Block, “Deepen Community Understanding of Utility Roles and Responsibilities.”
Case Studies
Walnut, California. The story of trust-building between the Walnut Valley Water District (WVWD) and the Chinese American Association of Walnut (CAAW) is one of collaboration and shared purpose. It begins in Southern California, where WVWD provides drinking water to nearly 100,000 residents across the City of Diamond Bar and parts of Walnut, Industry, Pomona, Rowland Heights and West Covina. Throughout these communities, a significant portion of the population identifies as Asian, including many of Chinese descendants. Recognizing the importance of connecting with these community members, WVWD sought to partner with CAAW, a community organization representing Chinese-American residents. Read the full case study.
Tuscon, Arizona. Tucson Water and the Sonora Environmental Research Institute expanded access to rainwater cistern programs, empowering residents to harvest water for tree-planting that combats urban heat and boosts climate resilience. Watch this video from the 2025 One Water Summit, where River Network’s April Ingle shares more on the story.
