for water and waste water agencies
Increasing Trust, Support and Investment
Municipal Drinking Water
In recent years, the emergence of bottled water and point-of-use treatment systems has introduced an interesting branding dilemma for water utilities.
These products and the publicity that accompanies them have negatively impacted the brand of municipal water and water utilities. However, just because these products have impacted the brand does not mean that they are “competitors.”
The important issue is that water utilities have not proactively built their own brands.
Municipal water is an extremely valuable product, and people instinctively understand its value even if they take it for granted. People do not have to think hard or long to accept that “when the power goes out you light the candles, and when the water goes out you move out.”
People need to understand what they can count on from the utility and municipal water and what the appropriate price (or investment) needs to be to ensure high quality of life.