Good afternoon MWUA Members,
It was my pleasure to meet many of you this last month in Augusta for our Centennial Conference & Trade Show! Along with the Board of Directors, we appreciate the time and effort 500* water professionals took to come together, share knowledge, and catch up with each other. This event was a great demonstration of the strong bonds across our professional community. Special thanks to the Program Committee for the vast amount of work that went into this excellent event!
*Not to mention all our amazing exhibitors, which took the total attendee count north of 700!
An Introduction 
For those that didn’t make our Thursday business luncheon, my name is Ed Molleo (said “MAW-lee-oh”), and I’m very pleased to be able to introduce myself to you as your new Executive Director at Maine Water Utilities Association. I’d like you to know that I’m here to serve the members of MWUA — I work for YOU, and I do not take your membership dues for granted. I rolled up my sleeves and dove into operations and administration on day 1, had an organizational budget prepared for the Board’s consideration by day 21, and then quickly moved into Conference preparations. Needless to say, it’s been an awesome whirlwind of activity since I joined you all.
I’ve shared with the Board that I am very interested in improving the value that you get from the Association. While I believe our membership is already a great bargain, I’ll also be looking to grow that value — so that engaging with the Association is truly a “no-brainer” for both utilities and industry stakeholders who could benefit from collaboration with us.
Planning for the Future 
I would be remiss if I did not acknowledge some of the headwinds on the horizon. Maine CDC’s Drinking Water Program (DWP) has shared that, barring any changes at the federal level, DWP pass-through funding sources normally allocated to MWUA will be eliminated as of July 01, 2027. This will have a significant impact on our Association’s bottom line; MWUA benefited from about $90K in Intended Use Plan (IUP) set-aside funding this past cycle, and we’ve just been approved for about $130K for the coming (and likely final) cycle that begins this July. Our Association also stands to lose access to important Capacity Development Training Reimbursement Fund (TRF) revenues for each training that we host. Annual TRF revenues have averaged around $100K or more over the last few years following the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Molly and I will be exploring a number of opportunities in collaboration with the Board — identifying both cost savings and, where appropriate, areas in which we can increase revenue to ensure the fiscal sustainability of the Association. This work will also include grant research and grantwriting, seeking out new partner organizations with which we can share resources, and streamlining processes. Where we need to increase pricing for services, every effort will be made to ensure those increases are both gradual and justified. Our goal is to see MWUA make it to its bicentennial celebrations!
Our bottom line is important, but the SINGLE MOST valuable resource MWUA relies upon is YOU! The selfless work of our volunteers is what makes our committees excellent. If you aren’t already involved, please reach out to explore opportunities to give back to the Association.
Our Board members, past and present, constantly cite their volunteer work on MWUA committees as one of the most impactful ways they’ve advanced their careers in the water and wastewater industries. None of what we do would be possible without more than a century of committed volunteerism from water works professionals like you!
On a personal note, my deepest thanks go to our Board and committee volunteers for the warm welcome I’ve received since late 2025.
Thank you for reading. I look forward to working with each of you as we collaborate to help Maine’s water works thrive!
— Ed
