Cities Initiative recognized for equitable water solutions

The Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiative has been awarded the U.S. Water Prize in the nonprofit category for its leadership in broadening equitable access to clean, safe and affordable water for all residents of the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River Region. Presented by the U.S. Water Alliance, the prize recognizes organizations advancing sustainable and inclusive water solutions throughout the United States.

A delegation accepted the award at the 2025 One Water Summit in Pittsburgh. It included Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson, Mount Vernon Mayor Shawyn Patterson-Howard, who co-chairs the Mayors Commission on Water Access, and St. Catharines Mayor Mat Siscoe, the Cities Initiative’s Canadian co-chair.

The award reflects the impact of the Cities Initiative’s programs to make water access more inclusive and equitable. Alongside its leadership on key service line replacement across the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River Region, the Cities Initiative has increased engagement through the Richard M. Daley Water Equity Community Award and the Turtle Island Scholarship. These initiatives have helped to involve more than a dozen new communities, including First Nations and Tribes, in the coalition.

Today, with more than 350 member communities, the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiative is leading the way in advancing access to clean water, while fostering economic resilience and protecting the environment and the health of communities across the region.