Water Leaders

T he water industry needs forward-looking leaders who can commu- nicate their vision of the future to many stakeholders and motivate preparations for the improvements and challenges to come.From aging infrastructure to an aging workforce, water professionals face a range of intersecting issues that also include the sustainability of long-term supply, protecting source waters, and increasingly stringent regulations.Leadership features prominently in this issue's cover story, which is based on a study initially published in PLOS Water.This summary of peer-reviewed research describes how, in the face of extremes resulting from climate change, utilities need to better prepare for harmful weather events that could disrupt water supplies or degrade water quality.In this case, extreme freezing conditions pushed utilities in Texas to the edge, but by studying how public systems were most affected and identifying the contributing factors, water leaders can develop and implement new strategies to augment drinking water resilience to future extreme weather challenges.All people need affordable access to reliable water and wastewater services, and to help low-income customers maintain their water services, another feature in this month's issue describes how the US Department of Health and Human Services implemented a Low-Income Household Water Assistance Program (LIHWAP) to help customers cover the costs of their water bills and to help utilities cover the costs of managing their assistance programs.By analyzing the LIHWAP reports of funds used by grant recipients, water professionals can lead the industry forward to improve customer assistance when it's needed.Finally, the water industry needs leadership on the issue of microplastic pollution.As a feature this month describes, many studies have investigated the health effects of microplastics on wildlife, but few studies have been completed on humans, and microplastics' toxicity is still poorly understood.Rather than causing direct physical harm to humans, microplastics are more likely to have an indirect influence through chemical transfer if they contain harmful chemicals or adsorb pollutants.Ongoing leadership is needed to promote further study of microplastic problems and wider communication with utilities, customers, researchers, and regulators.Leadership in the water industry takes many forms, and you can help by sharing your perspectives and experiences with other water professionals.