18990_Authority_Feb_2026

T he P ower of C ommunication : T ransforming NWWA’ s C ulture O ne N ewsletter at a T ime By Lara Henderson, Community Relations Manager, North Wales Water Authority The North Wales Water Authority (NWWA) received the Pennsylvania Municipal Authorities Association Community Engagement Award for Internal Communications at a recent PMAA Convention, recognizing their innovative internal newsletter and its role in improving employee connections and the overall organizational culture. While community engagement is often viewed externally, NWWA’ s award-winning program shows that genuine engagement many times begins within the organization itself. About the North Wales Water Authority Established in 1951, North Wales Water Authority began with a mission to provide safe and reliable water to only about 1,200 customers in an area of less than one square mile. Now, after more than seventy years of operation, while the original mission of providing safe and clean water remains unchanged, the number of customers served have grown significantly. Today, the Authority supplies up to 17 million gallons of high-quality drinking water to nearly 40,000 customers across multiple municipalities in Bucks and Montgomery counties, with over 570 miles of pipeline in the ground. Beyond its core responsibilities, the Authority is deeply involved in ongoing public outreach programs and community education. Through facility tours, school visits, participating in community events and conservation programs, the NWWA continues to promote public health, responsible water use, and environmental stewardship. These efforts reflect the organization’s belief that an informed and connected community is essential to the long-term success of public water systems. Project Goal and Objectives The internal newsletter was developed and refined as part of a strategic communications effort focused on educating staff, strengthening the organizational culture, improving employee engagement opportunities, and fostering a strong sense of teamwork across all departments. Best management practices guided the project’s development, including employee feedback, clear communication goals, and consistent messaging aligned with NWWA’s mission and values. Innovation came in the form of treating the newsletter not as a top-down announcement tool, but as a collaborative, employee-centered platform. By encouraging contributions from all employes throughout the organization, the newsletter became an interactive shared space rather than a one-way channel. Key goals included: • Fostering connection through peer recognition, allowing employees to highlight colleagues’ contributions. • Promoting transparency by sharing regular project updates and department news. • Breaking down silos by increasing awareness of work happening across the Authority. • Enhancing morale by celebrating personal, family and professional milestones such as birthdays, anniversaries, promotions, and celebrating achievements. Results and Impact The primary audience for the newsletter is NWWA’s internal workforce. This includes staff from all departments and levels of the organization, ensuring that every employee from field operations to administrative roles has access to the same information and opportunities for recognition. Since its launch, the internal newsletter has strengthened cross-departmental communication and respect for co-workers by increased knowledge about all Authority operations and initiatives. Employees are now more aware of projects reaching beyond their own departments, contributing to enhanced coordination and a stronger sense of teamwork. Equally important, the newsletter has elevated employee recognition and reinforced the NWWA mission, long term vision, and essential objectives. By celebrating achievements and milestones, the Authority has helped employees feel seen, heard, and appreciated - an essential factor in morale and retention.