Latest / Make Water Work Podcast / Christy Harowski: Infrastructure to Impact & Making the Value of Water Visible | Make Water Work 017

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Christy Harowski: Infrastructure to Impact & Making the Value of Water Visible | Make Water Work 017 · Make Water Work Podcast

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If you are an engineer and facts make
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sense to you and structure makes sense
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to you, own that. Own that. Lean into
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it. And when you have to go talk to, you
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it's coming from something that that
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means a lot to you. Welcome to the Make
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shaping the future of water. I'm your
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everyone. Whether you're a water
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you. Let's get started.
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Well, hello everyone and welcome to
1:15
today's uh Make Water Work podcast where
1:17
Isaac and I speak to industry
1:19
professionals that are innovating,
1:21
leading, and making water work every
1:24
single day in our industry. So, Isaac,
1:27
who are we speaking with today? We're
1:29
speaking with Christy Herroski who is
1:31
the chief of staff for the water and
1:33
sewage board for New Orleans and then
1:36
was the director of the value of water
1:38
campaign at the US water alliance and um
1:42
now is the founder of HCB strategies.
1:45
And so um this is such going to be a
1:47
great conversation. I first met Christy
1:49
when she was on a panel um most recently
1:52
at Rogue Waters um catalyst conference
1:55
for water communicators and um and she
1:59
was on a panel just talking about um the
2:02
way that they communicated to um things
2:04
that need to happen um in New Orleans
2:06
and it was a great conversation and then
2:10
we got to present together a couple
2:11
weeks ago um at at a conference uh in
2:15
New Orleans. And so Christie, welcome.
2:17
It's been a pleasure getting getting to
2:19
know you in short such short order. Um
2:21
but I feel like we've become fast
2:23
friends.
2:24
>> I think so too. Thank you so much for
2:26
having me on today.
2:27
>> Yeah. Well, we love um we love having
2:31
guests on and we have found that
2:33
everyone has a story about how water
2:36
found them. And so I'd love to ask you
2:38
Christie, how did water find you?
2:41
>> Yeah, I actually love answering that
2:43
question. Um it's such a good opener. So
2:45
water has always been a very very
2:47
integral part of who I am generally. I
2:50
grew up in Florida um on a lake which is
2:53
not all that unusual there. Um where you
2:56
know that's where I swam and canoed and
3:00
did all the things. Um I also spent my
3:03
summers on the east coast of Florida on
3:05
the Atlantic Ocean and that was just
3:07
really integral to who I was growing up.
3:09
Um, also, you know, astrologically, I'm
3:12
a cancer sign, so I'm a water sign. So,
3:14
all of that really lives within me, and
3:16
I really lean into it. Um, but water did
3:18
not show up for me professionally until
3:21
about almost a decade into my career. I
3:23
actually I went to law school um at
3:25
Tlane, which is how I wound up in New
3:27
Orleans. And it was not until I had
3:30
veered a little bit away from law and
3:31
into policy that I became involved in
3:34
water issues. I was at the time working
3:36
for a nonprofit in New Orleans that
3:38
focused on kind of the like the primary
3:41
quality of life issues in New Orleans.
3:43
And for those of you who are familiar
3:44
with our wonderful city, um water always
3:47
has been at the top of that list. We
3:49
live topographically in a bowl. Um which
3:53
is unlike every other city in America.
3:55
Every raindrop that falls has to be
3:58
pumped out of our city. We have zero
3:59
help from gravity. Um and also we're an
4:02
incredibly old city. Our
4:05
entire drainage system plus our water
4:07
distribution system were uh all of those
4:11
pipes were built
4:13
120 years ago now. So we're kind of at
4:15
the forefront of aging infrastructure
4:18
and the need for innovation and and how
4:20
we live with water. So that's how I
4:23
first got to know water was in the
4:25
context of that job.
4:27
>> Oh my gosh. Yeah. And then so you've had
4:30
a kind of a a really interesting career.
4:33
I'm really excited to hear kind of how
4:35
you've made the leap to to all of the
4:38
different opportunities. So, from the
4:39
ste chief of staff into the um the uh
4:43
the value of water campaign, how did how
4:46
what was that transition like and what
4:48
compelled you to kind of take that
4:49
opportunity?
4:51
>> Absolutely. Well, I'm going to back up
4:53
even one more step because I was working
4:55
at this nonprofit and I had the honor
4:59
and privilege of being part of a group
5:00
of people um that helped recruit and
5:03
then welcome Gassan Corban to New
5:05
Orleans. And Gassan, he was recruited
5:08
from Milwaukee where he was the public
5:10
works director to New Orleans where he
5:12
became the executive director of the
5:13
Surgeon Water Board. Um and so I met him
5:15
in that context and after about it was
5:19
maybe three or four months of working
5:21
together informally where I was on the
5:23
nonprofit side um but he was in the
5:25
utility um I kind of had this moment of
5:29
enlightenment where I thought you know I
5:31
would really love to be doing the work.
5:33
I would like to be at the utility you
5:36
know boots on the ground supporting the
5:39
water champions who are delivering this
5:40
every day as opposed to on the outside
5:42
looking in. Um and so I I kind of
5:45
proposed that idea to Gassan and happily
5:48
he was on board with it and that's how I
5:50
had the opportunity to work in the
5:52
utility which um you know is such a
5:56
unique experience and
5:59
I think that it shaped how I feel about
6:02
water and it shaped how I feel about all
6:04
of the issues that surround you know
6:06
what we talk about today when we talk
6:07
about water. So from investment to
6:09
workforce to even you know conservation
6:12
and particularly equity and
6:14
communication. So that was a really
6:17
really um just educational and
6:21
informative
6:22
part of my life. But I will say um that
6:28
public service is not for the weak of
6:30
heart. um and in regular times regular
6:34
times in quotes. I think you could ask
6:35
any public servant currently during the
6:38
shutdown that we're in um how you know
6:41
much of a struggle that can be on a
6:43
daily basis. And the truth is that after
6:46
about five years of being a public
6:48
servant at a utility um just I it it
6:53
wore me down a little bit. Um, you know,
6:55
I woke up and I wasn't showing up to
6:58
work as my best self and it was kind of
7:00
like wearing on my health and on my
7:01
kids. I have three sons. Um, and so, you
7:05
know, I kind of just thought I think
7:07
actually read a book with an interesting
7:09
fact which is that most people who have
7:11
the job of chief of staff in any
7:13
organization that the average tenure is
7:16
two years. And I think there's probably
7:17
a reason for that. It's kind of like all
7:19
the things just fall on your plate,
7:21
which is the great side of it. and also
7:24
the challenging side of it, right?
7:32
That's what it is. That's what it is.
7:34
So, that is what spurred my decision to
7:36
do something else. And I happened um to
7:40
come across uh a a job posting at the US
7:43
Water Alliance that actually was not for
7:45
the value of water um direct campaign
7:48
director. It wasn't for that. It was for
7:49
a different job. But I threw my name in
7:50
the hat um in the hopes that I could
7:52
just open a door and have a conversation
7:54
with somebody at the organization
7:55
because I thought they were doing and
7:57
they are continuing to do such wonderful
7:59
things around water and equity. Um so
8:02
that led to a conversation with them
8:03
about the campaign and truly when I took
8:07
the job I thought oh this is a a
8:09
political advocacy campaign at the
8:11
federal level for water investment like
8:13
check check perfect totally in my
8:15
wheelhouse. But when I showed up
8:17
virtually, because it, you know, we all,
8:19
we all worked virtually. They have staff
8:21
all around the country. Um, it became
8:23
very clear to me that in addition to
8:26
being all of those things, it also truly
8:28
was a communications role, that it was a
8:32
campaign director for a communications
8:34
campaign role, which is not something
8:36
that I specifically had done. So that
8:38
kind of led to like this 18-month crash
8:41
course in all things communications
8:44
where I learned from really kind of like
8:45
the best of the best. I mean, I had
8:47
exposure to so many brilliant minds. Um,
8:50
and yeah, opened my eyes to a whole
8:53
different side of myself, a more
8:55
creative side, a more innovative side,
8:57
and just, you know, got me thinking
9:00
about what I could ultimately contribute
9:03
um to our sector.
9:05
>> Yeah. Yeah. That's awesome. And I I
9:07
loved um in in the time that that we've
9:10
gotten to know each other just some of
9:12
the the ways that you know with a legal
9:15
background and a law background and then
9:17
coming into um into the water sector the
9:20
way that you understand the impact of
9:22
communicating and the need for finance
9:25
and kind of how those how those um kind
9:27
of tie together. And so, um, yeah, I'm
9:30
I'm kind of curious if you could shed
9:32
some light on on how you think about
9:34
that, whether it's tied to a specific
9:36
project, um, uh, or those kind of things
9:39
from your time in New Orleans.
9:41
>> Yeah, absolutely. Thank you for that
9:43
question. Um I feel very seen at the
9:46
moment as somebody who bu I feel like
9:50
you know maybe what I can offer um to
9:53
others as we jointly work through some
9:56
of the issues that our sector faces is a
9:59
somewhat unique combination of that
10:01
legal and technical background and
10:02
utility experience and then
10:05
>> you know a a a communications outlook.
10:09
the things that I love and enjoy doing
10:11
are speaking and writing. Um, and you
10:13
know that's part of being a lawyer too.
10:15
So that was
10:17
>> part of my career path as well. But it
10:18
is a unique combination. Um, and when I
10:21
was at the utility in New Orleans, we
10:24
one of the biggest projects we did that,
10:27
um, you know, I'm really proud of, I'm
10:30
really proud of the entire team who
10:32
worked on it, but we put together, we
10:34
found $250 million um to build an
10:40
electrical substation, and I won't get
10:41
into the weeds on this, we'd be here all
10:42
day, but on the side of our water
10:44
treatment plant in order to provide a
10:46
more reliable service to the residents
10:48
of New Orleans. And we did that without
10:50
raising rates a single time
10:52
>> for anybody who lives here.
10:54
>> Yeah.
10:54
>> And that required partnership and
10:57
collaboration and advocacy literally at
10:59
every single level. It was local, it was
11:01
state, and it was federal. We got
11:04
earmarks. We leveraged SRF funding. Um,
11:08
you know, we went to the mat with the
11:10
state government for state bond
11:12
commission dollars and capital outlay
11:14
dollars. You know, we just we did
11:17
everything we could do. And I think that
11:19
that experience probably shaped my
11:21
outlook on investment and what's
11:25
possible,
11:26
>> right? I I do not see investing in water
11:28
as you know a linear problem to solve. I
11:32
see it as part of
11:35
>> um you know creative thinking and the
11:38
innovative solutions that I think we all
11:40
need to turn to if we have hopeful
11:43
future.
11:44
>> Yeah.
11:46
>> That's so Yeah. I love that. And that is
11:48
no small fee. Did you say $250 million
11:51
that you Oh my gosh.
11:53
>> Yeah. And also shout out. I mean I did I
11:56
was there for much of that. It was one
11:57
of the biggest projects I worked on
11:59
while I was there. But the rest of the
12:00
team who's still there, full shout out
12:02
to everybody who is completing that
12:04
project and they're breaking ground on
12:06
that this fall ahead of hurricane season
12:08
next year which is just so awesome.
12:12
>> That's awesome. And I I think you know
12:16
when when we were at the um SEIFA
12:19
conference just the way that utilities
12:24
um need to look for so many different
12:27
sources of funding um because rate rates
12:31
alone are not um rates or rate increases
12:34
alone are not um are not enough. Um, and
12:38
so, um, I think that kind of ties back
12:40
to like the value of the value of water
12:43
and helping folks communicate and
12:46
whether it's at the utility level or at
12:48
any level, why it's worth the
12:50
investment. Um, yeah, I would would love
12:53
for you to talk a little bit more about
12:55
the value of water campaign more
12:57
specifically.
12:59
>> Yes. So the valley water campaign it it
13:03
was the the brainchild and a labor of
13:05
love that Ratica of Fox started when she
13:08
was at the US water alliance but that
13:10
has taken on a life of its own and
13:12
continued I think because there is such
13:15
uh you know desire by everyone involved
13:18
in the water sector to see people value
13:21
water for what it is worth and to not
13:23
take it for granted. Um, and so there's
13:25
a there is a truly kind of emotional and
13:28
just I don't know intuitive desire to
13:31
see an organization or a campaign like
13:34
that elevate water for everybody. And I
13:38
think part of what um has made that
13:41
campaign successful over the course of
13:43
time, I mean I was there for a short for
13:45
18 months of its history essentially.
13:48
but um is the fact that it is guided by
13:51
a steering committee of about 40
13:53
organizations and it is truly a
13:56
beautiful cross- sector of organizations
13:59
that are involved with water. So
14:01
industry um you know like Ferguson and
14:04
US PIPE are are there, the national
14:07
trade associations are there, utilities
14:08
are there, philanthropy is there um you
14:12
know innovative partners are there which
14:14
is awesome and it's it's that big tint
14:17
and it's the perspectives the the
14:19
diverse perspectives of all of those
14:21
voices being at the table and helping
14:23
uplift the campaign that I think makes
14:26
it successful.
14:27
That is what we need is a space where
14:29
all perspectives are taken into account
14:32
and we can say here is where we overlap.
14:35
Here are the takeaways and what we
14:37
believe are the most important things to
14:39
share about the value of water and then
14:40
that's what makes it impactful. It's not
14:43
you know we're trying to do everything a
14:44
toz. It's we have a really specific
14:47
message which is water is the most
14:50
valuable thing we have and here's how
14:52
it's going to look if we don't have it
14:53
anymore.
14:53
>> Yeah.
14:54
>> Yeah. Yeah. And I, you know, you've
14:57
you've you get it and you've been on the
14:59
front lines advocating for it, you know,
15:02
um, you know, in your utility, uh, at a
15:06
national footprint. I How do you advise
15:11
utilities that may that know they are
15:13
going to need to find funding but have
15:16
no idea like where to start? Like what
15:19
what's your advice for those utilities
15:21
that are just like I I know I don't have
15:23
enough. I can't raise rates to fill the
15:26
gap. Like what's some advice you might
15:28
give them?
15:30
>> My advice, and I mean there's some
15:33
examples of this that I'll share in a
15:35
moment, but would just be to think
15:37
outside the box in terms of
15:38
partnerships.
15:40
There are well, I mean,
15:43
you can get as creative as you would
15:45
like because every single industry
15:47
relies on water to function. So, a great
15:51
example of this is here in New Orleans.
15:53
Um before the project that I mentioned
15:55
earlier, um our city administration and
16:00
utility partnered with the tourism
16:03
industry to completely
16:07
um change how we view tourism dollars
16:10
coming in the door and what they should
16:13
support. And it was called the fair
16:14
share campaign. Um, and hopefully that
16:16
resonates because New Orleans being a
16:18
town where, you know, we have more
16:20
tourists per year than we have people
16:21
who live here by a lot. Yeah, by an
16:24
exponential amount. The tourists who
16:25
come to town, we love them that they're
16:27
here. They're helping our economy, but
16:29
they are also using our infrastructure.
16:31
I mean, they are consuming the water.
16:32
They're putting um, you know, the
16:35
pressure on the pipes and all of these
16:38
things, but are not contributing at all
16:40
to the cost of the upkeep or the
16:41
maintenance or the repair. So it was a
16:45
it was a really unique partnership and
16:47
honestly brilliant in in how it came to
16:50
be and it required you know
16:52
collaboration amongst numerous
16:54
organizations right um it required a
16:57
little bit of a a state law change at
16:59
the state level and a local a local vote
17:03
but at the end of the day fair share
17:05
resonated with people and that program
17:08
was able to divert taxes that were being
17:11
collected uh tourism tax that was being
17:13
collected to an infrastructure fund
17:16
that's overseen by an advisory board.
17:18
There's a lot of accountability there.
17:20
But the end result was 20 mill is it is
17:23
this is still this happened maybe five
17:25
years ago and every year since $20
17:28
million has been diverted for
17:30
infrastructure projects of the sewers
17:31
and water board that it did not have
17:33
before.
17:35
So that's a great example of like
17:37
>> oh my gosh that's an amazing creative
17:39
example. Is that a fixed fee or is it is
17:41
it a percentage?
17:44
>> There are um I wish that I could answer
17:47
that in a straightforward manner. There
17:48
are numerous pots that go in to that and
17:51
then
17:52
>> it splits back up.
17:53
>> The nerd the nerd in me is just curious
17:56
uh if if if the Super Bowl gave that
17:58
little pot uh a bump at all uh you know
18:01
with the Super Bowl being in your
18:02
backyard not too long ago. So it is it
18:05
does fluctuate with um the tourism
18:08
revenue of the city. It's directly tied
18:10
to that. So years that we have great
18:12
tourism it does get bumped up and then
18:15
years like during COVID when we didn't
18:17
um there was not as much money in the
18:19
fund. So it does it is based on that
18:22
which is a really interesting outlook.
18:23
There are also a couple other states
18:25
that are doing creative
18:26
>> at the same time. It's it's a usage
18:28
based model. So in high tourism when
18:31
there's more wear and tear um more
18:33
pressure there's there's more um
18:36
>> more money. I think that that's like you
18:40
know as communities need to think about
18:43
what's unique about their community.
18:44
What are their needs? How are they
18:46
collaborating with the local in with the
18:50
local industries? Um, you know, when we
18:52
were talking to Kelly Daring Smith and
18:55
um, talking about how Louisville Water
18:57
um, understands there's a local economy
19:01
and sobour being inclusive of that um,
19:04
with bourbon and beyond and and those
19:06
kind of things. Um,
19:08
>> yeah,
19:09
>> I think that's a great tip. Look
19:10
locally. We know that water is the
19:12
foundation for so much but is what you
19:14
know what kind of can drive both that
19:16
economic development factor whether it
19:18
is tourism whether it's manufacturing
19:20
and try to tie that back to water
19:22
incentives right to help you know ease
19:24
the burden of of the cost to maintain
19:26
the infrastructure and the projects.
19:28
>> Yeah.
19:29
>> Yeah. Yeah. And I think you know
19:32
>> it can be so specific to your location
19:35
really place solution right. So, like in
19:38
Colorado, I I've seen this a lot and we
19:40
did some work when I was at the US Water
19:42
Alliance on on this um where there are
19:45
uh referendums, voter referendums on
19:49
partnerships around this. Like in
19:50
Colorado, um they diverted some funds
19:52
from um I believe it was the state
19:55
gambling tax, maybe it was sports
19:57
betting, something that was generating a
19:59
lot of money and they built a
20:00
partnership out of that. And I I have
20:03
seen other examples in states where
20:04
agriculture um is primary to the economy
20:08
and how the agriculture sector has said,
20:12
you know, obviously we cannot thrive
20:14
without access to water and kind of
20:16
acknowledge that there's a partnership
20:17
there.
20:18
>> I love that. Yeah, that's an interesting
20:20
take on that.
20:21
>> Yeah, that's really good advice.
20:22
>> Yeah. Yeah. And I I was yeah I I was
20:27
thinking too when when we um had the
20:30
opportunity to present um at SEIFA just
20:34
thinking about the way that water
20:36
utilities need to communicate um their
20:39
value. we were talking to folks who
20:41
manage SRF funds um and so just their
20:45
need to communicate the story of the
20:48
funds that are available, how how they
20:50
will use and um and I I think we struck
20:53
a bit of a chord when we shared some
20:54
some of the ways that analysts look at
20:57
um at what they um at the disparity
21:01
between dollars that are um that are
21:05
appropriated versus dollars that are
21:07
activated or or the perception of of
21:09
time. Um, and yeah, it it was a fun it
21:13
was a fun conversation having everyone
21:15
react to it. Um,
21:17
>> yeah.
21:17
>> Uh, kind of raise the temperature for
21:19
for a hot second um um in the room. But
21:23
um yeah, but you also shared a good
21:25
example of a um a value of water
21:30
campaign um the story of was it a system
21:34
in
21:36
Michigan
21:37
I believe?
21:39
Yeah, it was a beautiful video that um
21:42
the environ the environmental finance
21:45
center put together through the alliance
21:48
and in partnership with the EPA that
21:50
showed how funding coming through the
21:54
EPA and moving into communities is being
21:57
utilized um to change lives honestly.
21:59
And the video was made it it it was set
22:03
in Akran, Michigan. Um and the video was
22:07
made for the distinct purpose of doing
22:09
the storytelling that we seem to be
22:11
missing. Um as the storytelling I think
22:14
is the missing link between okay there
22:16
are the people who advocate for
22:18
investment right maybe lobbyists or
22:20
other organizations and that is their
22:21
goal and their mission is to advocate
22:23
for funding for water. There are you
22:26
know the policy makers and elected
22:28
officials who are agreeing or not
22:29
agreeing to fund water or fund various
22:32
water related initiatives. Um, and then
22:35
there are the people who regulate the
22:37
funding and who oversee the flow of that
22:40
funding to communities. All of all of
22:42
those decision steps are linked by the
22:45
story of what it means for people to
22:47
have access to to water. But and this
22:51
is, you know, this is this is my
22:53
passion. This is where I get excited
22:55
about things and this is where I hope,
22:56
you know, to be able to go more in the
22:58
future. And that's how do you how do you
23:01
find and tell those stories in a way
23:03
that resonates with the audience, you
23:05
know, that you're communicating with?
23:07
Because the same story might not
23:08
resonate equally to everybody. It's it's
23:11
it's just a combination of things of
23:14
being aware of the needs of your
23:17
audience and and what might move the
23:20
needle with them and and creating
23:24
the best story to connect the people
23:27
whose lives are being impacted with the
23:29
people who are making decisions about
23:30
their lives and how do you do that and
23:33
at the end of the day I mean something
23:34
that is hopeful for me and hope for all
23:37
of us is that there are core human like
23:40
needs um that we can all agree on and
23:44
I've said this from like day one at the
23:48
Valley of Water Campaign and I will
23:50
continue saying it for as long as I live
23:51
and breathe and it is that water is
23:54
nonpartisan. It's not just bipartisan.
23:56
It's nonpartisan.
23:57
>> It truly there's not a single one of us
24:00
that can with a straight face be like
24:02
this is not important. Yeah,
24:03
>> it is important. Mhm.
24:04
>> It is and it's something that I hope we
24:06
can all agree on and you know I know
24:08
there are many many nuances around how
24:11
it gets spent and you know what their
24:13
priority projects are and all the
24:15
various things we could talk about for
24:16
hours but at the end of the day
24:20
nobody in our diverse country
24:25
has a meaningful
24:27
and thriving life and community without
24:29
the presence of water which requires
24:31
funding to maintain maintain the
24:34
structures that deliver our water.
24:36
>> Yeah, that's the whole story.
24:37
>> So, like how do you wrap humanity around
24:39
that? How do you show the pictures of
24:41
the people who are being impacted and
24:43
how do you empower them to tell their
24:45
story or find the right messenger to
24:47
tell their story so it lands on willing
24:48
ears? I think you know that's something
24:52
that I think we are starting to tune
24:54
into but maybe still listen like missing
24:56
a little bit or a lot.
24:57
>> Oh, I think we're missing a lot. I just
24:59
I think back to your expertise and how
25:02
many different directions your career
25:05
could have gone in in water whether you
25:07
know le you know staying in a version of
25:10
law or you know another job in utility
25:13
but selfishly I'm so glad you're
25:15
choosing this because I think it is so
25:18
needed I think it's anemic to be quite
25:21
honest with you and I just feel like we
25:23
need more incredible leaders helping all
25:27
of these different stakeholders
25:28
tell the story in a way that resonates
25:31
with their point of view because to your
25:32
point that point of view is very
25:33
bipartisan and it's only good for the
25:37
economy. It's good for the environment.
25:38
It's good for, you know, public health.
25:41
And I just I kudos to you for realizing
25:44
that and saying I want to do more of
25:45
that because there are not not enough of
25:47
you uh in this industry. So, can we
25:49
clone you?
25:52
>> Thank you so much for saying that. I
25:53
really appreciate it. I hope eventually,
25:55
you know, I can make as big an impact as
25:58
I would like to one day, but baby steps.
26:00
>> Yeah.
26:00
>> Um,
26:01
>> you know, another just when you were
26:04
when you were speaking about the
26:05
bipartisan nature of this and how we get
26:07
it done, a thought popped into my mind
26:09
around the messengers, right? And um
26:14
understanding
26:15
who can best deliver your message and
26:19
>> Yes.
26:21
I think, you know,
26:24
flexibility and a willingness to achieve
26:26
the goal is just key and crucial to
26:32
allowing someone else to deliver your
26:34
message. And I I I do think that the
26:37
steering committee for the Valley Water
26:39
campaign does a great job with that,
26:41
too. And it's something that I lean into
26:43
a lot and I I actually really enjoy
26:45
because you can always find
26:46
commonalities, you know, when you're
26:48
talking to different organizations and
26:50
different people. But for example,
26:52
>> oh, this is what you said, thriving
26:53
economy. That's that's what made me
26:55
think of this. Yeah. So, okay, economy,
26:58
water drives the economy. And what does
27:00
that lead to? Who is invested in the
27:02
economy? Chambers of commerce. So the
27:05
National Chamber of Commerce was a great
27:07
partner of the value of water campaign
27:10
and helping deliver a message in DC,
27:12
right? That might not be a partner that
27:15
would spring to mind immediately as
27:17
somebody who would be willing to
27:18
advocate for water, but they understand
27:20
the importance and the impact of it,
27:22
right? Um there were manufacturing
27:25
associations and just, you know, I could
27:28
go on. Um, but that's a great example of
27:33
understanding who cares about the
27:35
outcomes and even if even if the basis
27:37
for caring isn't exactly the same as
27:39
yours, that absolutely thousand%. Yeah.
27:42
>> Right. It's getting the job done.
27:44
>> Yeah. And who can amplify the message in
27:47
a way that's going to resonate with the
27:49
various diverse populations like that?
27:51
just understanding that that community
27:53
building that stakeholder management is
27:55
part of the process of getting your
27:57
message out or you know making change.
27:59
It's just I feel like that and it's hard
28:02
work and maybe that's why it's work
28:04
that's not done because it is really
28:06
hard to build those pieces together but
28:07
it's just um I it's just so needed
28:10
something you do really well you know
28:12
Isaac and I just um yeah I just I don't
28:14
know just
28:14
>> yeah well and you mentioned the word
28:16
flexibility too it's like allowing the
28:18
allowing the core desire of the of the
28:21
outcome to be flex have flexibility in
28:24
the messaging to allow allow the message
28:27
to evolve depending on um on who's
28:30
carrying the message or how it impacts
28:33
that stakeholder group um um or that
28:36
community that they represent.
28:37
>> Yeah.
28:38
>> Yeah. Isaac, that's so true. And also
28:42
Megan, what you said about what you know
28:44
we have a lot of work to get this done.
28:46
I think that is partly because while we
28:48
are beginning to prioritize quote
28:51
communications, I think a lot of people
28:53
hear that and think communications
28:55
departments like let's have a strategic
28:57
plan for our communications efforts and
29:00
that is very important and kudos to the
29:03
utilities and the organizations that are
29:04
leaning into that. I can't applaud you,
29:09
you know, enough. That's that is awesome
29:11
and that is needed.
29:13
>> But I think that strategic
29:14
communications
29:17
such a, you know, wonky phrase.
29:21
>> Yeah, I try not to use it honestly so
29:23
much because I do think it leads people
29:24
down the wrong path. But for me, it is
29:26
so much bigger than a communications
29:28
department. It's how we as a sector
29:31
strategically think about delivering our
29:33
message so that we raise the profile of
29:37
water. And to do that, it's it can't
29:40
live in the communications department.
29:42
It has to be a priority for the whole
29:43
organization which means that a leader
29:46
has to have buyin. A leader has to be
29:48
well trained in how to use his or her
29:51
voice to achieve the impact that they
29:53
would like to achieve. And so often in
29:56
our sector and at utilities we do not
30:00
come to the leaders don't come to the
30:01
table with that training through no
30:02
fault of their own. They're brilliant
30:05
engineers or, you know, finance experts
30:08
or lawyers or, you know, whatever the
30:10
case may be is, but we can't expect them
30:12
to have learned how to be an effective
30:15
communicator for all of these different
30:17
audiences. And until we prioritize that
30:20
as a skill set and that as a leadership
30:22
skill in particular, I think we'll
30:24
continue to struggle on this path. But
30:26
happily, you know, it's it is a
30:30
relatively light investment for a huge
30:32
benefit. So I hope more and more people
30:35
decide to test it out.
30:37
>> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.
30:38
>> Yeah.
30:39
>> And that's the story to tell tell too.
30:41
How do you get buy in from the top is if
30:44
you can correlate the the investment and
30:47
the ROI and the impact on the effort,
30:50
right? And and I think that's, you know,
30:52
I think that's where any good strategic
30:54
plan, whether it's communications or
30:56
infrastructure related, should have a a
30:58
bottom line impact, right? And so I I
31:01
think you you hit the nail on the head.
31:02
I think um I think it we all know that
31:04
inherently, but I do think just exposing
31:06
more leaders to why invest because we're
31:09
going to need we're going to need these
31:10
cohorts to get along, you know, to get
31:12
along with the art initiatives uh that
31:15
are really big that may require rate
31:18
increases that may require something
31:19
from the public. So, it's in our best
31:21
interest to make sure that we're all
31:23
marching in the same direction, right?
31:25
>> Yeah.
31:26
>> Yeah. At the end of the day, it actually
31:27
makes your job so much easier if you can
31:30
detail at the outset here here will be
31:33
the benefits of doing this. And then
31:35
after the effort, go back to your
31:37
supporters or investors and say, "Yes,
31:40
we invested this. This is what we got
31:42
out of it or we exceeded that and here's
31:44
what we learned along the way." I mean,
31:46
it it just makes it so much easier for
31:49
people to say yes to you.
31:50
>> Yeah. and maybe add the first time, but
31:52
the second time, okay, you know, they
31:55
start to get the idea.
31:57
>> Yeah, that consistency is is the is the
32:00
thing that ends up building trust.
32:02
>> As we kind of wrap up, just what's one
32:04
immediate action water professionals or
32:07
utility leaders can take to enhance um
32:10
their communications and build stronger
32:12
coalitions?
32:14
>> Great question.
32:17
You know, here's what I would say.
32:19
That's a that's a great question. Very
32:21
deep. Very deep. Um, but here's what I
32:22
would say.
32:24
I think that powerful communication or
32:28
effective communication comes from
32:32
awareness around your own authenticity
32:34
and your own style. M
32:36
>> and I think that people can sense when
32:39
you are speaking genuinely and earnestly
32:43
as opposed to putting on a show or
32:45
repeating talking points or you know
32:48
whatever it is. And so I think across
32:51
the board some advice that works for
32:52
almost anybody is spend a little bit of
32:55
time I maybe it's you know just a couple
32:58
hours
33:00
thinking about reflecting on or even
33:02
doing some reading about what your style
33:04
is who you are as a person. If if you
33:07
are an engineer and facts make sense to
33:09
you and structure makes sense to you own
33:12
that. Own that. Lean into it. And when
33:15
you have to go talk to, you know, your
33:18
senator on the hill about investing in
33:22
your next project, you can come prepared
33:25
with numbers and things that make sense
33:26
to you. And when you relay them, it'll
33:29
be persuasive because it's coming from
33:32
something that that means a lot to you,
33:34
right? I wouldn't you you can't show up
33:37
and have that conversation and try to be
33:38
somebody else. It it'll miss the mark.
33:41
And so, um, yeah, I think I think maybe
33:45
that would be what I would say, which is
33:48
both the easiest and the hardest first
33:50
step to take, right?
33:52
>> Yeah.
33:52
>> Yeah. Yeah. Well, it's easy for us to
33:54
like feel that level of insecurity and
33:57
feel like we need to put on something
33:59
that someone expects us to be rather
34:01
than just saying, "Here's what I know
34:03
and I can be um secure and confident in
34:05
who I am, and that's the place I'm
34:07
speaking from, and my desire is to
34:10
communicate." um effectively.
34:13
>> Um yeah, where can our where can our
34:16
listeners um learn more about HCB
34:18
strategies? Tell me a little bit about
34:20
HCB strategies as well as you um kind of
34:23
like the work the work that that you're
34:24
doing um at that level and and where
34:28
folks can find you.
34:29
>> Yeah. So, what I'm what I'm doing is
34:32
partnering and collaborating with folks
34:35
to help um coach and train and
34:38
strategize around these concepts of
34:40
finding your voice and using your voice
34:41
effectively with a variety of audiences,
34:44
whether it's a a policymaking audience
34:47
or your leadership team or your city
34:50
council. Um, and leaning into what it
34:52
takes to do that. Well, um I will say
34:56
that happily I'm going to be a faculty
34:59
member for Convergence, which is Rogue
35:01
Waters training program where you can
35:03
get a little sneak preview of some of
35:06
the things that I've been thinking about
35:07
and doing. Um but otherwise, you know,
35:10
I'm on LinkedIn under my name, Christy
35:12
Harowski, not under HTB strategies name,
35:15
but I think that's probably the best
35:17
place to read about some of my thoughts
35:19
on our sector and where we can go from
35:21
here and to reach out to me directly.
35:24
Yeah,
35:25
>> I love it.
35:25
>> It's amazing. Well, thank you so much
35:27
for all of the amazing work that you
35:29
have done and will continue to do and
35:31
just really appreciate your time today
35:32
to be on the podcast. It was amazing to
35:34
tell your story.
35:36
>> Yeah, thank you so much for having me. I
35:37
love what uh the two of you are doing
35:39
here and all of your conversations thus
35:40
far have been very meaningful. Um and I
35:43
really appreciate it. So, keep up the
35:44
good work.
35:45
>> Oh, thank you so much.
35:46
>> Thank you.
35:48
>> Absolutely.
35:51
>> Um Oh, Megan. Well, that was uh such a
35:54
joy to have Christie um on the on this
35:57
podcast. Um, from the minute I saw her
36:00
present, when she presented alongside
36:02
Gassan on um, the New Orleans project
36:05
and all the coalition building, I just
36:07
um, knew she had the depth of experience
36:10
um, not just um,
36:13
>> yeah, not just being brilliant, but also
36:16
knowing um, having an emotional
36:18
intelligence to understand what it means
36:20
to build um,
36:22
>> yeah, coalitions. Yeah, coalitions. And
36:24
I think just so smart to understand that
36:27
the um within that the stakeholder
36:30
segments um
36:32
you know are so important to bring them
36:34
along in the core purpose of what you're
36:37
doing. And you know one of the things we
36:39
hit on that we say a lot is water is a
36:41
bipartisan issue.
36:43
>> We could be doing so much more with
36:45
water if we were able to tell the story
36:47
better and tell it better to the
36:49
individual stakeholders in which we're
36:51
speaking to. And that's one of the
36:53
things I really appreciate about
36:54
Christiey's message and she gets it. She
36:56
knows there's a core message. She knows
36:58
the purpose for strategic communication.
37:00
But how we take that communication and
37:02
then distill it down to those different
37:04
stakeholder groups to actually align on
37:06
what we want to accomplish
37:08
>> that is that is the recipe that I think
37:11
she you know she's seen at New Orleans,
37:13
she saw in the campaign and now she's
37:15
bringing on her own to um communities uh
37:18
across the country. So excited to follow
37:21
her and see what great things are going
37:22
to come.
37:23
>> Yeah. Yeah. Same. And thank you all so
37:26
much for tuning in to this week's Make
37:28
Water Work podcast. We love getting to
37:31
feature folks like Christie on the
37:33
podcast. We love hearing from you about
37:35
how uh how this conversation impacts you
37:38
and would love to hear from you if
37:39
there's anyone else you want to hear
37:40
from to have on this podcast. So, please
37:43
like, share, follow, engage, and we'll
37:47
see you next week.
37:49
Thanks for listening to the Make Water
37:51
Work podcast. If you enjoyed today's
37:53
episode, please take a moment to like,
37:56
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37:58
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38:00
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38:03
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38:05
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38:07
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