We will continue to lead with collaboration, humility, and strength in all we do. I encourage you to add your voice to our advocacy and peer-to-peer initiatives to ensure that our message resonates throughout the sector, in Congress, with our policymakers, and in all our communities.
I am excited and humbled about becoming the next President of NACWA and serving all of you who work tirelessly to ensure your communities have safe, clean, and affordable water services.
While I recognize the challenges facing our clean water agencies have never been greater - inflation; workforce; affordability; PFAS and emerging contaminants; too much water; too little water; climate change; federal funding; earmarks versus SRF; community relations; diversity, equity, inclusion; consolidation; regionalization; and privatization to name a few - together, we can meet this moment.
I have seen firsthand how the collective wisdom of NACWA, and the talented utility leaders it represents, is up to the challenge. As Vice President this past year, I was inspired by the way in which NACWA President Tom Sigmund along with our fellow officers, Board Members, Committee Leaders, and staff deftly navigated these complex issues and helped shape collaborative approaches to solving them.
This next year, I envision celebrating clean water utilities leading the field of public health service, by providing safe, clean, and affordable water services. It is more critical now than ever that we highlight what we do and hold true to several core principles: 1) NACWA's utility leaders must be seen as the true environmentalists and public health providers; we always rise to the challenge, including through a once-in-a-century pandemic; and we must own and never relinquish the public health and environmental high-ground; 2) We must adhere to a Polluter Pays model that places responsibility and blame on those who harm our environment and public health, while ensuring that the already overburdened customer, especially our low-income customers, do not foot the bill for corporate misdeeds; 3) No matter how difficult, we must always elevate science and sound engineering principles to the highest level in all policy negotiations; and 4) We must focus our resources to support and serve the people and communities with the greatest needs - from disadvantaged small and rural communities to disadvantaged communities within our cities and suburbs.
My promise to you is that this vision and core principles will guide all of NACWA's actions over the next year. We will continue to lead with collaboration, humility, and strength in all we do. I encourage you to add your voice to our advocacy and peer-to-peer initiatives to ensure that our message resonates throughout the sector, in Congress, with our policymakers and in all our communities.
With deep appreciation,
Oluwole "OJ" McFoy