Raising rates, not tempers.

We developed the Renew Evansville brand to help Evansville Water & Sewer Utility inform the community about complex issues — such as water main breaks and sewer main collapses — and justify the need for substantial rate increases.

The project required buy-in from elected officials and 69,000 customers, so we started building trust by involving the public from the start. During the development of the long-term sewer control plan, we helped EWSU assemble a Citizens Action Committee to maintain a constant connection to the local community.

Throughout the outreach campaign, we organized public meetings in each of the city’s wards and a virtual meeting using #askEWSU to field questions and gain valuable community support. Local elected officials and neighborhood associations were invited to smaller presentations that addressed concerns unique to a city block or area of town.