Survey Confirms ACWA on Right Path in Providing Member Value by Pamela Tobin Aug 24, 2022 Voices on Water Results from a recently completed member satisfaction survey indicate that our association continues thriving as a vibrant, engaged and responsive organization. Members overwhelmingly see ACWA as moving in the right direction. At the same time, nine in 10 respondents replied that they are satisfied with ACWA’s performance in serving their needs, and four in five rated the value of their ACWA membership as excellent or good. Before I list a few other takeaways, I want to thank the chairs of the Membership, Communications and Business Development committees for helping develop the survey questions and guide staff through the survey process. ACWA hired FM3 Research to conduct the survey, a firm with a long and impressive list of clients, including numerous local government entities. The survey took place between May 27 and July 11. Participation numbers tracked with previous member satisfaction surveys in 2012 and 2019, with 143 responses – the highest response out of the three. Ultimately, the survey’s success stemmed from those of you who took the time to participate. Thank you, because your input will play a critical role in helping guide the association in a way that benefits all ACWA members. At this point in time, ACWA is fulfilling that role on many fronts, while the survey also acknowledged what our members see as priorities. A few summary viewpoints included the following: ACWA is seen as most effective in its statewide policy and regulatory advocacy and in its communication and outreach. Members view issues related to water supply as the top challenge their agencies face and as the top issue they want ACWA to focus on addressing. Responses reveal an appreciable uptick in the usefulness of ACWA’s social media accounts among members. The individual elements of ACWA’s services that members appear most satisfied with include ACWA JPIA insurance and ACWA’s policy work on safe drinking water, water quality, water supply reliability and water use efficiency. Members are overwhelmingly satisfied with their interaction with ACWA staff. That last point means a great deal to me. ACWA staff members deserve credit for exceptional work on every level, as illustrated in high marks throughout the survey. Our members deserve no less, which is why I’m excited to share these survey results during Membership Appreciation Month. In the coming months, ACWA will break out relevant data to share with Region Boards and committees to help enhance their work for the membership. The more we know, the better we can serve you.
