Written by Iris Grootenhuis
Rising Tide Partners attended the virtual California Association of Sanitation Agencies (CASA) Winter Conference last month. The event featured speakers and panel presentations interpreting the common theme of “moving forward.”
Many of the webinars discussed the future of the water and wastewater industries as we move into 2021. Strategist and author Heather McGowan opened the conference with a keynote lecture on the future of work and how the next generation views the workforce. Throughout the conference, this topic fostered dialogue from a diverse array of professionals, including water workers, senators, creatives, and communications agencies.
Another discussion centered around how the pandemic has created a unique opportunity for industries to lead the fight against public health threats. RTP’s CEO Neal Bloom co-hosted a roundtable discussion with Mike McNutt from Las Virgenes Municipal Water on “Communications: Explaining Wastewater-Based Epidemiology to Your Community.” Wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) is the testing of raw wastewater to track COVID-19 by allowing communities to determine whether the scale of outbreak is declining, increasing, or has plateaued.
RTP worked with CASA to create a free Resource Toolkit, including outreach materials on WBE. By utilizing this toolkit, cities and agencies can better communicate with stakeholders, elected officials, and the general public through the agency's communications channels about WBE.
Meanwhile, during the “Communications: Agency Outreach to Diverse Audiences,” webinar, Barry Dugan from Sonoma Water cultivated the conversation around the importance of including diverse audiences in your communications and public outreach. A PDF featuring the “Six Building Blocks for Engaging Diverse Audiences” serves as a guide to increase communication with all segments of your community and commitment to sharing resources to encourage community participation.
The conference left us inspired for the future of the water and wastewater industries and gave us the tools and resources necessary to move forward as the space continues to evolve. Thanks to CASA for providing an environment in finding the emerging leaders of the water space and attracting the next generation of leaders.