The American Water Works Association (AWWA) is introducing a prototype of its new AWWA Water Map during the Source Water Protection Week campaign that runs through September 30.

The platform features several interactive elements that provide water sector professionals with the ability to explore successful utility case studies, locate nearby AWWA conferences, and obtain information about AWWA sections and regions.

The annual Source Water Protection Week highlights the critical importance of safeguarding drinking water sources and shares strategies that communities, utilities, and decision makers can implement to protect their local water sources. Using this prototype water map, users can access case studies that demonstrate successful source water protection programs near them.

Some notable features of the water map prototype include:

• Interactive elements. Users can customize their AWWA water map experience using filtering tools, search functions, map design elements, and table features to curate a selection of case study materials tailored to their interests.
• AWWA conferences. The prototype includes an upcoming conferences page, enabling users to identify and explore AWWA’s conferences across North America, providing valuable insights into events closest to them.
• Sections and regions. With an updated mapping resource of AWWA sections, users can access AWWA water map content specific to their AWWA section and region.

The AWWA water map allows users to share and exchange knowledge within the water sector. Several of the case studies feature source water protection solutions, with success stories from:

• San Jacinto River Authority’s Lake Conroe Watershed Protection Plan and Program
• Winterset Municipal Waterworks, Cedar Lake
• City of Iqaluit Source Water Protection Plan and Water Crisis
• Watershed Committee of the Ozarks (WCO) Little Sac Watershed

“The AWWA water map is a dynamic and collaborative effort to bring forward the wealth of water system information that AWWA has to offer, but in a visually informative setting,” said Casey Rodriguez, AWWA water resources mapping specialist. “We’re excited to showcase such amazing source water protection projects in this prototype version, along with their organizations, and provide recognition for their ingenuity and adaptability to current water issues across the continent.”

The AWWA water map prototype will be freely accessible to the public; however, as part of AWWA’s commitment to its members, the final version of the AWWA water map (available in 2024) will be an exclusive benefit for AWWA members.

To learn more about Source Water Protection Week visit https://www.awwa.org/Resources-Tools/Resource-Topics/Source-Water-Protection/Source-Water-Protection-Week.

To explore the AWWA water map prototype visit https://experience.arcgis.com/experience/a54e850eed3f493db0835e8c6b08c2ba.