WLI 2025, Resilient and Strategic Approaches to Resource Allocation

Wastewater utilities manage more than water—they manage billions of dollars in infrastructure, skilled people, and essential community resources. Across the country, utilities face a common challenge: limited funding and rising demands. This video explores how three communities—MWRA in Boston, Dodge City in Kansas, and Mesa County in Colorado—are tackling financial stability, workforce challenges, and infrastructure renewal through resilient leadership and forward-thinking strategies. From sustainable rate structures and creative revenue streams, to cross-training lean teams and reinvesting in critical assets, each story shows that money, people, and infrastructure must be managed together to keep services reliable and affordable. Through their insights, we see that true resilience means more than balancing a budget—it’s about planning for the next decade, not just the next year. Watch our first video: Bridging the Funding Gap Created by: Chad Whiting, Massachusetts Water Resource Authority Andrew Hummel, Burns & McDonnell Richard Tyson, Kankakee River Metropolitan Agency Jissell Muir, Arcadis U.S., Inc. Melissa Pierce, Current Innovation, NFP Afiya Wilkins, Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality Aaron Rice, City of Grand Junction