Equitable Water Management

This guidebook was developed in response to growing recognition within the water sector that water services are not equitably distributed. In Flint, Michigan, lead contamination exposed deep inequities in infrastructure investment and accountability. Communities in Alabama face failing septic systems and chronic wastewater exposure. In the Central Valley of California, farmworker communities often rely on wells contaminated by agricultural runoff. Home in tribal lands, such as Navajo Nation, often lack safe plumbing altogether. These disparities have roots in structural inequalities in infrastructure investment, planning, and governance—many of them reflecting decades of redlining, disinvestment, and fragmented service provision. Climate change is compounding these challenges, placing disproportionate burdens on the communities least equipped to adapt. For example, flooding from more intense precipitation events disproportionately affects low-income neighborhoods located in floodplains, while prolonged drought threatens small rural utilities with limited financial capacity to maintain or upgrade systems. Despite increasing awareness of these inequities, many water utilities and agencies still lack clear, practical guidance on how to embed equity into their decision-making. The objectives of this research were threefold: (1) to assess the current state of research and practice related to equity within the water sector; (2) to develop a guidebook that supports utilities seeking to embed equity into planning, operations, and management decisions; and (3) to work closely with utility practitioners to ensure the guidebook is grounded in their experiences and responsive to their practical needs. The result is a flexible, user-oriented resource that acknowledges utilities are at different stages in their efforts to advance equity. Rather than offering a one-size-fits-all solution, the guidebook provides tools, frameworks, and real-world examples that utilities can adapt to advance more equitable and inclusive outcomes.