Keeping water reliable, resilient and affordable starts with choices communities make today.
This paper guides the path forward. Across the country, water systems are hitting their limits. Aging assets, climate stress, cyber threats and workforce gaps are putting reliability and budgets at risk. The communities that act now are already seeing returns: stronger economies, more reliable service, clearer long-term planning and greater public confidence.
How are communities making it happen? Beyond 2050: The Economic Imperative of Water Infrastructure Investment distills decades of operational experience, national research and real-world examples into a guide for decision-makers. It helps civic and utility leaders understand where investment delivers the highest return, how modern technologies transform daily operations, and how to build water systems that stay reliable and affordable for the next generation.
Authors:
Karine Rougé: Executive Vice President of Strategic Transformations and Chairwoman of Regulated Water for Veolia in North America
Robert Powelson: President and CEO, National Association of Water Companies
What's inside the Beyond 2050 guide:
-
The four economic drivers that turn water investment into measurable growth.
-
How AI, automation and real-time monitoring are reshaping utility operations.
-
The six-step modernization playbook any community can apply today.
-
How public-private partnerships accelerate upgrades while protecting affordability.
-
What water-smart communities will look like in the 2050s, and how to make the business case to get there.