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Meet the Summer 2026 Project Accelerator Cohort

WaterNow is excited to announce the winners of our Summer 2026 Project Accelerator application cycle!

Project Accelerator provides 250 hours of pro bono support to communities and utilities to jumpstart innovative localized infrastructure projects.

The Accelerator focuses on approaches that are part of a “distributed” model of water infrastructure, addressing water management throughout an entire community. These strategies – which range from water efficiency to reuse, green stormwater infrastructure, lead service line replacement, customer outreach and affordability programs, and other consumer-focused initiatives – help secure water supplies, protect local environments, and keep water costs affordable.

The newest Accelerator projects include:

Des Moines Water Works, Iowa: Connecting Customers with Leak Repair and Water Efficiency Resources 

This project will reduce residential water demand and improve customer affordability through a targeted, data-informed in-home water efficiency and leak reduction program. Des Moines Water Works has found that even a small to moderate toilet leak can add $200–$900 to a customer’s monthly water bill. WaterNow and River Network will partner with the utility to develop a scalable approach to identifying households with high water use and potential leaks, and connecting them with water conservation support. This assistance may include virtual or in-person home water assessments, leak detection guidance, direct-installation services, or community assistance programs. Working closely with community members, the project team will design a pilot program that conserves water while helping lower household water costs.

Person using a wrench to repair a kitchen sink faucet, with dish soap bottles and a potted plant on the windowsill behind them.

City of Loveland Utilities, Colorado: Unlocking Community-Scale Water Savings Through HOA Partnerships

Homeowners associations oversee some of Loveland’s largest shared landscapes and make water management decisions that can drive meaningful water savings across the community. While the City of Loveland Utilities already offers a variety of water efficiency programs for HOA customers, participation has remained limited, leaving one of the City’s greatest opportunities to expand water conservation largely untapped. Through this project, WaterNow and River Network will partner with the City to develop, pilot and refine an outreach and engagement approach that strengthens relationships with HOA leaders, expands participation in existing water efficiency programs, and unlocks lasting community-scale water savings.

Blue sprinkler nozzle spraying a fan of water over a garden bed with brown rocks and green plants in the background, during daytime.

City of Santa Rosa, CA: Developing a Residential Leak Repair Program

This project will develop a roadmap for a residential leak repair program serving customers in Santa Rosa, the largest city in Sonoma County, California. An average household’s leaks can account for more than 10,000 gallons of water wasted every year, and fixing leaks typically reduces customers’ monthly water bills by around 10 percent. Santa Rosa recently introduced advanced metering infrastructure (AMI), greatly expanding its ability to detect customer-side leaks. However, timely repairs remain a challenge, likely due to financial barriers.

The project team, which includes WaterNow, River Network, and Santa Rosa, will develop a leak repair program framework to help address this gap, and connect customers with assistance to remediate leaks. This framework will draw on a cost-benefit analysis to identify resource requirements, and outline program design, customer eligibility, and participation criteria. Throughout the project, the team will engage community members to ensure the proposed approach reflects customer needs and priorities.

Hands cupping a stream of flowing water, droplets splashing over wet skin.0.8

These communities will join an impressive cohort of more than 30 Accelerator projects advancing innovative, community-driven solutions. Visit WaterNow’s Project Library to explore past projects and the resources and insights they generated.

This was a highly competitive application cycle, with many compelling proposals. While WaterNow can select only a limited number of projects, these submissions reflect the exciting work underway in communities across the country to advance distributed water management strategies, foster leadership and professional development across utility teams, and build strong partnerships between utilities and the communities they serve.

We anticipate opening applications for the Colorado Regional Accelerator this fall, and applications for our next national application cycle in spring 2027. We look forward to continuing to collaborate with local leaders to advance this exciting work.

Congratulations to our newest Accelerator participants, and thank you to all of our applicants for your commitment to advancing sustainable water solutions.

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