Our History

The AWWA was formed in 1881 at a meeting in St. Louis, Missouri, attended by water utility representatives from the states of Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky and Tennessee. They established the Association for “the exchange of information pertaining to the management of water-works, for the mutual advancement of consumers and water companies, and for the purpose of securing economy and uniformity in the operation of water-works.” Today, AWWA has more than 55,000 members in more than 130 countries. On January 1, 1971, the Canadian Section reorganized and three new AWWA Sections came into existence—Atlantic Canada, Ontario, and Western Canada. Waterworks professionals in Quebec had received Section status in 1967. On January 1, 1973, the British Columbia Section was inaugurated, creating five Canadian Sections. Since 1971, the Ontario Section has held its annual conference in the spring (typically early May). The Section restructured in 1995 and officially changed the name to Ontario Water Works Association – A Section of AWWA. One of its first activities was to create a strategic plan, which was updated in 1998 and is reviewed and updated every five years.