18990_Authority_Feb_2026

Building Trust, One Drop at a Time – Pittsburgh Water’s Water Workshops About Pittsburgh Water Pittsburgh Water is the largest combined water, sewer, and stormwater authority in Pennsylvania. Established in 1984 under the Pennsylvania Municipal Authorities Act, it assumed control of the City’s Water Department in 1995 and became the sole sewer system operator in 1999. Today, it serves over 116,000 customers and a regional population of approximately 520,000 people. The organization manages a vast and historic infrastructure network, including 964 miles of water mains, 1,220 miles of sewers, and numerous pump stations, reservoirs, and storage tanks. Drawing water from the Allegheny River since 1828, Pittsburgh Water operates a treatment facility that produces 65–70 million gallons of drinking water daily. Governed by a nine-member board appointed by the Mayor and confirmed by City Council, the authority employs over 400 staff members dedicated to protecting public health and delivering reliable water services. Building Trust through Community Engagement: Water Workshop Goals and Objectives The Water Workshops initiative was launched as a strategic community engagement and rebranding effort to build trust in Pittsburgh’s tap water and increase transparency around water quality and infrastructure investments. The project aimed to: • Educate residents about the water treatment process and the safety of tap water. • Promote the environmental and economic benefits of tap water over bottled alternatives. • Highlight Pittsburgh Water’s proactive lead response and infrastructure upgrades. • Foster direct, meaningful dialogue between the authority and community members. This initiative incorporated several elements to provide a comprehensive, immersive and inclusive learning experience for community members: • Cross-departmental collaboration: Teams from Public Affairs, Water Quality, Environmental Compliance, Customer Assistance, and Engineering worked together to design and deliver the workshops. • Community-focused planning: Events were held in neighborhoods with environmental justice concerns and historically limited access to educational outreach. • Innovation in engagement: The workshops featured multimedia learning, hands-on experiments, and interactive presentations to make technical information accessible and engaging. Audience Reached The Water Workshops reached 128 community members across five Pittsburgh neighborhoods: Northside, Mt. Washington, Hill District, East End, and Hazelwood. These areas were selected for their diverse populations and environmental justice considerations. The audience included residents who had not previously engaged with Pittsburgh Water, helping to expand the authority’s reach and build new relationships. Efforts were made to ensure accessibility and inclusivity, including providing ASL interpretation, offering light meals to create a welcoming environment, and removing barriers to participation through thoughtful event design. Each Water Workshop was structured into three parts: 1. Interactive Self-Learning Activities: By Holly Bomba, Manager, Community Relations, Pittsburgh Water