ISAWWA Announces Governance Updates to Strengthen Member Engagement and Organizational Impact

ISAWWA Announces Governance Updates to Strengthen Member Engagement and Organizational Impact

The Illinois Section American Water Works Association (ISAWWA) is implementing a refreshed governance structure designed to enhance member engagement, streamline volunteer leadership, and better align the organization with its 2025–2027 Strategic Plan. These updates follow several years of research, member feedback, committee audits, and industry best-practice evaluation, beginning in 2022 and culminating in extensive review through 2024–2025.

Why ISAWWA Is Making These Changes

Recent committee audits, surveys, and focus groups revealed that ISAWWA members deeply value the association’s mission and programming, yet identified several challenges within the current governance structure. These included inconsistent participation, variable leadership pipelines, communication gaps between committees and the Board, and redundancies across committees. Members also expressed a desire for clearer roles, stronger alignment with strategic goals, and more meaningful, sustainable opportunities to volunteer.

Industry standards further reinforced that streamlined governance—anchored in clear accountability, efficient operations, and well-defined committee charters—helps associations remain adaptable and member-focused. The committee audit noted that smaller organizations are most effective with a more consolidated committee structure, supported by specialized subcommittees, task forces, and interest-based groups.

These findings inform ISAWWA’s next phase of growth: a structure that reduces complexity while expanding opportunities for members to contribute in meaningful and flexible ways.

Highlights of the New Governance Structure

Pillars of Excellence as the Organizational Framework

ISAWWA will organize its work around four Pillars of Excellence, drawn from the 2025–2027 Strategic Plan:

• ●Education
  
  
• ●Member Engagement
  
  
• ●Workforce Development
  
  
• ●Community Impact
  
  

These pillars now anchor ISAWWA’s Advisory Groups and serve as guiding principles for all program areas, ensuring continuity across multi-year plans and future initiatives.

Creation of Tiered Advisory Groups

New Advisory Groups provide strategic oversight and big-picture alignment across committees. Each group will serve as a high-level coordinating body, improving communication with the Board of Trustees and creating clear leadership pathways for volunteers. Advisory Groups will meet quarterly and include committee leaders, Board members, and staff liaisons.

Streamlined Committees With Flexible Support Structures

ISAWWA will reduce the number of standing committees and empower them to use subcommittees and task forces to execute specialized or time-limited work. This approach addresses past challenges with volunteer burnout, uneven participation, and overlapping responsibilities. Committees will now have consistent leadership terms, clear annual goals, and defined reporting expectations.

Introduction of Professional Communities

New Professional Communities—such as Women in Water, Veterans in Water, and Young Professionals—offer members interest-based engagement with fewer formal requirements. These groups provide accessible, community-centered spaces for knowledge sharing and networking.  New communities can be established to allow for further networking.

Improved Leadership Development and Accountability

The new structure supports stronger succession planning through defined roles for Chairs and Vice Chairs, annual committee evaluations, and streamlined communication processes. The goal is a sustainable leadership pipeline that encourages volunteer growth and ensures long-term organizational stability.

What These Changes Mean for Members

ISAWWA’s redesigned governance model is ultimately focused on the member experience. With fewer barriers to participation, clearer expectations, and greater alignment across all levels of the organization, members will find it easier to engage in work that is meaningful to them and impactful for the water community.

In addition, the structure improves ISAWWA’s capacity to deliver high-quality education, expand workforce initiatives, elevate public awareness, and build connections across the industry. By modernizing governance to match best practices and strategic priorities, ISAWWA is positioning itself to better serve Illinois water professionals today and in the future.

The Call for Volunteers will open soon - stay tuned for more information on how you can get involved!