Across the country, water utilities face a growing workforce crisis — not just from retirements, but from invisibility. Few people truly understand what happens behind the scenes to deliver safe, reliable water every day. And often, even those already working in the sector don’t recognize the value of their own role.
Chelsea Boozer, Executive Director of Rogue Water Lab, says the problem starts with communication. “If we can’t even keep our own workforce educated about the role they’re playing in public health and quality of life,” she explains, “how do we expect to attract a new generation?”
That’s where Rogue Water Lab steps in — helping utilities, associations, and agencies strengthen the human side of water. Through trust-building, storytelling, and training, the nonprofit focuses on what Boozer calls “power tools,” not “soft skills” — communication and engagement that are essential to building understanding and trust inside and outside the industry.
By teaching water professionals how to connect, Rogue Water Lab is helping the sector tell its story, elevate its people, and inspire those who will protect our most vital resource in the years ahead.
Content from the US Water Alliance 2025 One Water Summit. Rogue Water Lab is a partner at the Reservoir Center in Washington, D.C.
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