2025 State of the Water Industry Report (AWWA)
Just Released: State of the Water Industry 2025
The State of the Water Industry Report highlights key trends and emerging concerns based on a survey of 3,575 water professionals conducted in late 2024. This year, financing for capital improvements was the number one challenge in 2025 for those surveyed, overtaking last year’s source water protection. Read the full report to discover how this year offers a fresh perspective on the water industry's most pressing challenges. With its comprehensive analysis of current trends and future projections, the State of the Water Industry Report is an essential tool for water community professionals seeking to stay ahead of the curve.
Highlights
Capital improvement funding rises to top priority for water professionals:
- Only 41% of utilities feel very or fully able to cover costs through rates and fees.
Aging infrastructure remains a challenge:
- 40% of utilities report currently funded projects investing in asset renewal and rehabilitation.
Long-term water supply availability and source water protection:
- 67.8% of utilities are actively implementing water loss control programs.
Valuing public trust:
- 60.6% of utilities have implemented customer communication plans.
The new technological landscape:
- 73% of SOTWI survey participants rated cybersecurity as critically important.
Contaminant concerns:
- 45% of respondents indicated they were very to extremely concerned about PFAS.
Future of the water workforce:
- 58.7% of utility executives indicated that workforce training is fully funded at their facility.