Partners in Water Program

Partners in Water (PiW) is a program of King County’s Wastewater Treatment Division (WTD) that brings together local community-based organizations (CBOs) and internal WTD project teams to center community priorities and perspectives in decision-making, strengthen partnerships, and improve environmental and social outcomes for all.

Partners in Water was co-designed by community representatives and WTD staff and allows us to move beyond traditional partnership models and improve the way WTD engages with the communities it serves. We do this through ongoing collaboration and co-creation that will lead to more equitable and inclusive water infrastructure services.

Who we partner with

We work with Community Based Organizations (CBOs) rooted in the diverse communities across King County. Our partners are committed to environmental and social equity, and they help ensure that public programs and infrastructure serve communities in ways that are culturally responsive, accessible, and inclusive.

Rooted in King County’s ESJ values, Our PiW Grant Program provides fair compensation to CBOs who are selected to participate in each year long project.

If you're part of a community-based organization and are interested in learning more about future opportunities to be a part of PiW projects, please contact Eli Weiss, Partners in Water Program Manager, at eli.weiss@kingcounty.gov.

Current partners in water projects

Career pathways in wastewater

We're partnering with Kandelia and Villa Comunitaria to co-design a new career pathways program. This initiative explores how WTD can update current recruiting processes to increase equitable access and can connect young people from underrepresented communities to careers in wastewater and environmental fields.

Together, we are:

• Learning from communities about barriers to public sector and WTD jobs
• Exploring ways to improve outreach and support
• Developing strategies to make job pathways more equitable

Read our blogpost for more details on this project.

Community partnerships in infrastructure

Launching in June 2025 we will be collaborating with Living Well Kent, Mother Africa, and Villa Comunitaria to rethink how the county involves communities in planning for capital projects and co-create a toolkit that will help King County WTD more effectively engage and involve communities in future infrastructure planning and construction.

Together, we're:

• Documenting best practices for building trust and sharing power
• Identifying strategies to involve communities early in capital projects
• Developing tools and templates for future WTD work

Stay connected

We believe long-term community partnerships are essential to making our work stronger, more just, and more effective. If you’re a CBO interested in working with us through a future PiW project or have questions, we’d love to connect!

Contact:

Eli Weiss, Program Manager, Partners in Water
eli.weiss@kingcounty.gov