On the Road with Reservoir: Insights from the 2025 One Water Summit
/ July 22, 2025 /
Earlier this month, the Reservoir Center went on the road to meet partners at US Water Alliance’s One Water Summit in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. This year’s theme, “Water is the Bridge That Connects Us All,” couldn’t have been more fitting; Pittsburgh is cradled by three rivers and linked by countless bridges that bring the city together. From conversations about community water access and investments to critical water infrastructure to communication strategies and collaborative approaches to project planning, this year’s summit covered it all. Whether you’re an industry newbie or a seasoned water veteran, conversations were engaging and there was something to learn for everyone.
The US Water Alliance team added something special, dock slips designed by local Pittsburgh artists, to activate open spaces in the convention center. These spaces allowed collaboration and meaningful conversations to continue outside of the concurrent sessions. The Reservoir Center had the opportunity to participate in this pilot project. At our dock slip we asked participants to share the solutions they are implementing in their communities to solve local water challenges. Some themes we saw repeated across the country were:
- purple pipes and implementing water reuse
- aquifer protection and recharge
- developing trainings and programs that combine public health, the environment, education and advocacy.
- creating stronger customer assistance programs
- green infrastructure projects and implementing stormwater credits
- youth engagement
In reviewing all the notes, it was clear, organizations around the country are centering the community in their work to work towards creating resilient communities that have access to water and wastewater services and a healthy environment. Other dock slips discussed the right to clean water, the leadership skills that water professionals need, and how to help communities achieve water equity.
The One Water Summit wouldn’t be complete without the US Water Prize Ceremony recognizing our industry’s most innovative professionals. Congratulations to Reservoir Center Partner, the Great Lakes and St. Lawerence Cities Initiative, for winning this year’s Outstanding Nonprofit! They were recognized for their work to bring together 260 municipal and indigenous governments to ensure all communities are at the table as the Great Lakes and St. Lawerence River region grows. You can view the full list of this year’s winners here. The night was capped off by an amazing performance by Britton and the Sting, whose powerful music and storytelling revolved around water and climate change.
US Water Alliance’s mission is centered around sustainability, and this year, they rose to the challenge with numerous sustainable solutions at the conference. From recycled signage and dock slips to reduced plastic and waste through paper nametag holders and on demand screen printing of swag, the Alliance reduced the amount of waste that events like this typically create. As your organization works to plan your next large convening, we encourage you to think outside the box about how to make your event more sustainable.
Big thanks to Rogue Water Lab and waterloop for helping us collect content and engage with partners and attendees while at the conference. Keep an eye on their social media accounts to hear more from our partners who attended the summit.