18990_Authority_Feb_2026

10 The Authority │ February messages show up on bills, at board meetings, when a reporter calls, and when a rumor pops up on Facebook. A channel audit pulls those fragments into one controlled system. 1A. Name an owner and define decision rights If everyone owns communication, no one owns it. • Assign a primary owner, such as the communications lead/ PIO, executive director, or a designated staff member with writing responsibilities. • Assign a technical verifier, such as an operations manager, plant superintendent, or compliance lead. This person should be able to confirm accuracy quickly. • Assign a final approver, such as the general manager/executive director or board chair, only for high-stakes topics. For routine content, approvals should be streamlined. By assigning these roles, you can speed up the process and maintain consistency, especially when you need to communicate early and often. AWWA’s emergency planning guidance explicitly recommends designating a Public Information Officer (PIO) and incorporating communication into organizational culture so staff know who communicates, how, and when 7 . Even outside an emergency, that discipline keeps messages from drifting or conflicting. 1B. Build a complete channel map (owned, shared, and “borrowed” channels) Write down every place your information can show up, whether you control it or not. Owned channels (you control the content): • Website (news page, project pages, FAQ pages); • Bill inserts/billing messages; • Email list/e-billing notifications; • Recorded phone message/IVR; • Door hangers/mailed notices; • Annual CCR/water quality report summaries written in plain language; and • Public meeting agendas/handouts and board meeting remarks. Shared channels (you publish, but in a platform you don’t own): • Facebook, X, LinkedIn, Nextdoor; • YouTube; and • Community alert systems (if your municipality uses them). Borrowed/partner channels (high trust, often higher reach): • Municipal website/newsletter; • School district and library newsletters; • County emergency management alerts (for major disruptions); and • Local healthcare systems, senior centers, community nonprofits. You don’t need to be everywhere, but you should understand what exists, what it’s good for, and where the public is most likely to encounter your information first. 1C. Pick one “home base” and make everything point to it For most authorities, the website is your most accurate source, where you have full control and can publish updated information and correct rumors. 1D. Set a baseline cadence A simple baseline that most authorities can sustain: • Monthly: one public-facing update posted to the website (and distributed via at least one other channel); • Quarterly: refresh the FAQ and “what we’re working on” list; and • As-needed: service disruptions, boil water advisories, construction updates, rate actions. Consistency is key. You build trust when you post at regular intervals rather than posting five times in one week and then going silent for months. Step 2: Start where you are and work toward building trust You can normalize your presence in the community through peacetime communication. If you reach out only during an emergency or rate increase, your authority becomes the one your community associates with bad news. 2A. Build a minimum viable content calendar You want to create a calendar that you can execute. Maybe that is one update a month on your website, but it can also look like weekly social media posts paired with monthly website updates and billing messages. For simplicity, start with one monthly website update and create repeatable messaging pillars. For example: 1. Where your money goes Use your website as an opportunity to explain capital plans, asset renewal, regulatory requirements, and what those mean for rates. 2. What we’re working on Clear project updates, especially how they benefit customers and S ilence doesn ’ t read as professionalism ; it reads as uncertainty . Continued on page 49.