STRATEGIC PLAN
NHWWA’s 2020 Strategic Plan
New Hampshire’s residents, businesses, organizations, and visitors rely upon safe, dependable, and affordable public water service. Water needs across the state continue to grow and water suppliers face an increasingly complex and challenging future meeting this demand. NHWWA’s core mission is to support New Hampshire’s drinking water suppliers. To that end, the Board adopted a new Strategic Plan on November 5, 2020. The goal is to position NHWWA to be the most knowledgeable, trusted, and widely referenced source for training, ideas and information on water services and supportive policies and programs in New Hampshire. This will enable NHWWA to aid and guide New Hampshire’s water suppliers, communities, consumers and elected leaders as they seek to provide safe, dependable and affordable public water services far into the future.
You can read the full 2020 Strategic Plan here. Our top four strategic priorities are: People Powered-Recruiting, Retaining, Educating and Advancing the Water Workforce; Dollars for Water-Adequate and Assured Funding for Water Services; The Story of Water-Influential Communications, Public Engagement, and Legislative Advocacy; and, New Hampshire’s Water Future-Always Prepared for Major, State-wide Forces of Change. The first three priorities are outward-focused to meet critical needs of our sector. The fourth priority builds and sustains NHWWA’s capacity to achieve the first three. Highlights of our goals for each of these strategic priorities are summarized as follows:
People Powered. Research indicates the need for 40 to 50 new certified drinking water Operators per year and advancement of current Operators to leadership positions through 2030 to replace expected retirements. Drinking water is more critical than ever and job roles and responsibilities are increasingly complex. Our core business is providing top-quality training for drinking water professionals, so our educational programs are foundational to workforce development. We will work with our members and the NHDES to design the most beneficial and relevant courses for current and future workers, to recruit instructors best able to pass their knowledge to the next generation of Operators and sector leaders, and to outline and build viable career paths for the sector. Click HERE to read more about People Power.
Dollars for Water. Governmental infrastructure investment lags system needs, and most local rate structures are insufficient for sustainable operations. We will work at the state and federal level to allocate more funds to grant and loan programs required for capital improvements. We will provide our members with information and materials to assist them with local funding via rates and bond issues, as well as how to better engage their customers in effective water use and source water protection. Click HERE to read more about Dollars for Water.
The Story of Water. Most customers take dependable, safe and affordable water for granted. Through NHWWA communications and with supporter’s help, we will raise public awareness of the value of water and work to assure this most critical of human needs is met. We will use our messaging to connect with a new workforce eager to commit to a rewarding and satisfying career in public service. We will help water suppliers advocate for local funding, encourage our legislators to support policies that ensure dependable and safe public water, and attract the next generation of water workers. Click HERE to read more about The Story of Water.
New Hampshire’s Water Future. To deliver on our commitments, the Association will strengthen our ability to fulfill our mission. We have committed to reviewing and revising our governance documents and to building a new, more effective and attractive web site by June 2021. By making measurable progress on our other three Strategic Priorities, we will serve our customers’ critical needs. By earning your trust we expect continued success and support for both existing programs and new initiatives. Click HERE to read more about NH’s Water Future.
We are committed to making our Strategic Plan a living document, tested by practice and revised by experience. Our approach to meeting this important goal is to incorporate review and revision of the plan as a Board responsibility, and to follow the continual improvement management model below.
