For more than 40 years, the Awwa Research Foundation (AwwaRF) has served water utilities and regulatory agencies by conducting vital research to protect our nation’s drinking water supply. Our studies have strategically guided water utility managers, environmental regulators, and water researchers in making critical decisions that have further protected the purity of our drinking water, as well as saved utilities millions in infrastructure planning and design.
Since our inception, we have been privileged to be associated with the American Water Works Association (AWWA), a noteworthy and nationally recognized organization. While we each have served different purposes within the water community – AWWA as an educator and advocate, and AwwaRF as a research sponsor and facilitator – confusion continues to exist among critical funding audiences due to the similarities in our names. Additionally, the acronym “AwwaRF” is unknown to many outside the water industry, and the word “association” in a name—actual or assumed—precludes some potential donors from issuing grants for water research.
To help ensure our Foundation’s long-term viability and build support for our critical research, AwwaRF made the decision to change our name to the Water Research Foundation effective January 1, 2009.
The questions and answers below provide more information about the upcoming name change.
Q. Why does AwwaRF want to change its name?
A. The driving force behind the change is sustainable growth for the organization. We must continue advancing the science of water. To accomplish this, we need outside funding to maintain and increase our level of research, while ensuring the burden for all funding does not rest solely upon our subscribers. We are committed to keeping our subscribers’ membership fees reasonable.
Q. How was the decision reached to change the name?
A. Impelled by the need for clarity about our purpose and sustainable funding, the AwwaRF Board of Trustees embarked on a strategic and deliberate evaluation process for an identity/name change. In January 2008, the Board approved moving forward with a name change and appointed a committee that represents AWWA, the Association of Metropolitan Water Agencies (AMWA), and the National Association of Water Companies (NAWC) to look at potential names and the steps it would take to implement a name change.
Q. Did AwwaRF subscribers have a say in what the new name is?
A. Yes, indirectly, through representative decision making. The Identity Committee, appointed by the chair of the Board of Trustees, was comprised of members of each major water organization that represents our subscribers. The committee made a name recommendation to the Board, who ultimately made the final decision.
Not only will the new name help clearly differentiate the Foundation but it will also support our goal of serving the entire water community. The Board believes Water Research Foundation clearly communicates and better describes our mission, vision, and purpose.
Q. Will the name change guarantee increased funding?
A. There are no guarantees. But we have been told our funding will decrease further if our identity continues to be confused. We are making this change so that, to the best of our ability, we can ensure long-term viability and growth for the organization .
Q. Does the name change reflect a change in the relationship with AWWA?
A. No. The new name will differentiate us from AWWA, but we fully intend to continue collaborating with AWWA.
AwwaRF values our relationship with AWWA, as well as with AMWA and NAWC. We fully intend to continue working with these and other drinking water organizations on research and the publication of our research findings to benefit our subscribers and their customers. Through these strong alliances, we plan to maintain our position as the leading research foundation for the drinking water community. We believe this latest chapter in our history will provide value to our subscribers, regulators, academia, and others who rely upon research to ensure the public water supply is safe, affordable, and sustainable.
Q. What is the history/relationship of AwwaRF and AWWA?
A. AwwaRF was founded in the mid-1960s through a combination of federal grants and some start-up money from AWWA. In 1983, AwwaRF appointed our first board, which consisted of selected trustees from the water community, including AWWA.
The relationship with AwwaRF and AWWA has many layers. First, AwwaRF is housed in the same building and AWWA is our landlord. Second, we have a publications agreement with AWWA, in which the association serves as one of our distribution channels. AWWA members also contribute to the Foundation as individuals or as sections.
As with all of our relationships in the water community, we stand side-by-side with AWWA to bring needed expertise to the water community. AwwaRF is solely a research foundation and is non-partisan in nature. Our goal is to continue our relationship with AWWA, as well as with all the other associations in the water community, to provide leading-edge research to ensure safe, affordable drinking water.
Q. When will the new name be rolled out?
A. The name is scheduled to be launched on January 1, 2009.
Q. Will you use a new acronym along with the new name?
A. To help us build and maintain a clear identity for our organization in the minds of subscribers/members, the water community, the media, regulatory agencies, Congress, and potential funders, we will avoid using any acronym once the new name is officially in use. This includes the letters “WRF.” The shortened version of the Water Research Foundation will be “the Foundation.”
Q. Will donations from corporations and foundations jeopardize the objectivity or credibility of AwwaRF research?
A. Contributions from foundations or other organizations will not change or affect the quality of research being conducted or give those organizations undue influence over our mission, programs, or service to our subscribers.
Q. How are you informing others of the name change?
A. AwwaRF subscribers and other stakeholders have been informed of the name change through a press release, by e-mail, on the Web site, in the AwwaRF newsletters, and by other means. We will continue regular communications through the end of the year and into 2009 to facilitate a smooth transition to the new name.
|