WLI 2025 Final Project: Breaking Down Barriers: Resilient Leadership for One Water

Each year the final project is a major part of the Water Leadership Institute. The WLI 2025 cohorts wrote articles on turning challenges into strengths through resilient leadership.  

Introduction: Rising Challenges, Holistic Solutions

The water sector faces increasing pressures from scarcity, aging infrastructure, climate change, workforce shortages, and affordability concerns. One Water and Circular Water Economy initiatives offer integrated pathways forward by treating water holistically rather than in fragmented systems. One Water considers all sources - tap, stormwater, wastewater, aquifer, and surface water - as a single, managed resource, transforming how communities and the environment interact. However, knowledge gaps between roles - such as between engineers and operators - can hinder effective implementation. Resilient, inclusive leadership is essential to bridge these divides, foster collaboration, and turn One Water principles into real-world impact.

Problem: Barriers to One Water

While conceptually strong, One Water struggles to gain traction due to entrenched silos. Institutional, regulatory, and funding barriers make cross-sector collaboration difficult. Research from the Water Environment Federation (WEF) suggests that embracing circular water economy practices could unlock $47 billion annually for U.S. utilities and municipalities.

Take, for example, a city attempting to integrate stormwater into its overall water strategy. Departments like public works, wastewater, and planning often operate independently, resulting in duplicated efforts, higher costs, and greater public disruption. Resilient leaders can change this by promoting collaboration, framing shared goals, and encouraging joint problem-solving.

According to the US Water Alliance's State of the One Water Field Survey, 40% of respondents report limited collaboration with partner organizations [1] - evidence that siloed approaches persist. Resilient leaders must act as connectors, challenging outdated norms and fostering innovation through relationship building and shared accountability.

Solution: Resilient Leadership

Technical expertise is vital, but leadership drives lasting change. Resilient leadership goes beyond managing projects - it is about cultivating an organizational culture that values adaptability, inclusion, and continuous learning. It requires building trust across disciplines and empowering teams to innovate with equity-centered collaboration.

• Building bridges between departments and stakeholders
• Championing equity and inclusion within organizational culture
• Engaging communities to ensure water solutions reflect local needs

Leadership isn't limited to executives. Operators, engineers, planners, and community advocates all play roles in advancing One Water through inclusive decision-making and cross-functional collaboration. By investing in leadership development and embedding resilience into training programs, utilities and municipalities can boost performance, reduce turnover, and future-proof their organizations.

Utilities that invest in leadership training often see tangible results. Participants who go through structured programs typically return with stronger collaboration skills, a clearer sense of purpose, and greater confidence in navigating complex challenges. These benefits don't just stay with individuals - they ripple across organizations. Teams led by trained leaders report higher engagement, lower turnover, and more openness to innovation. Leadership programs also provide a platform for rising professionals to test and apply their skills through projects tied to real utility needs, ensuring that development directly translates into measurable improvements.

Programs like WEF's Water Leadership Institute provide opportunities for current and emerging leaders to gain the skills and mindsets necessary for One Water success.

Breaking Barriers with Leadership: Three Key Mindsets

• Bridge Builder - Connects across silos, aligns departments, and fosters collaboration through shared vision
• Empowerer - Creates a supportive, inclusive environment that encourages innovation and values diverse voices
• Community Catalyst - Builds trust by engaging directly with communities, ensuring solutions are locally informed and equitable

These mindsets support a leadership culture rooted in systems thinking, equity, and adaptability. They are further illustrated in our two-part "One Water Journey" video series, which highlights perspectives across different industry sectors. Leaders at every level can use these approaches to break barriers and turn One Water into a lived, community-driven reality.

Conclusion: The Path Forward

The challenges facing the water sector - from climate impacts to aging infrastructure and affordability crises - require more than technical solutions. Resilient leadership is the foundation of progress, enabling organizations to shift from siloed responses to integrated, community-centered solutions.

This isn't a side initiative - leadership is essential. By embracing collaboration, inclusiveness, and community-centered thinking, we can transform the water sector and realize the full promise of One Water: a future where water is managed sustainably, equitably, and for the benefit of all.

References

[1] US Water Alliance, "State of the One Water Field," June 2023. [Online]. Available: State of the One Water Field.

Authors: Rachel Chai, Lindsay Diaz, Michael Firestone, Elaine Leonard, Peter Pommersheim, Bradley Schmitz