Clean Water Current
NACWA Releases New Tools to Help Members Impact Lawmakers, Media
(April 10, 2018) – In its ongoing effort to help each utility member agency impact local and national clean water policy, NACWA is pleased to launch its newly redesigned and refurbished online tool: The NACWA Congressional Toolbox. And simultaneously – as a new tool to help member agencies’ local media outreach – NACWA is also distributing its first Opinion-Editorial template, which can be used by members to place in local newspapers or magazines.
Congressional Toolbox – New, Improved and Ready to Use
Now easier to use and loaded with more resources, the Congressional Toolbox provides members with everything they need to (1) set up and conduct a face-to-face advocacy meeting with any legislator or government official of their choice, and/or (2) plan and conduct a high-impact facility tour. Filled with new information, strategic tips, and useful resources, the Congressional Toolbox will walk any utility member through the process of advocating local, state and federal lawmakers—whether they’ve done it before or are trying it for the first time! Check out the Toolbox and see how easy it is for you to impact public policy!
NACWA Clean Water Op-Eds – Put Your Utility on the Media Map
Responding to member requests for more usable media outreach resources, NACWA is also pleased release an opinion/editorial template for member use.
With Water Week 2018 just around the corner, now is a particularly good time to use this template as a way to get out information in your local media about the importance of clean water! The template tool is simple to use: Just download the document containing optimized advocacy language; insert your utility’s specific information, situation or project; and then send the personalized op-ed to your local or regional press for publication.
Moving forward, NACWA will release many such templates—op-eds, press releases, news features—so that member agencies can both see the nuances of NACWA’s clean water advocacy positions, and use those positions to gain media placements and build relationships with local media. Together, we can communicate the important, positive messages that ratepayers need to hear.
For copies of the template in electronic format, please email Kristina Surfus, NACWA’s Legislative Director. Templates will soon be available on the NACWA website.