CHALLENGE After 100 years of neglect, Atlanta’s sewer system was in desperate need of an overhaul. But before the Mayor and City Council could raise rates to pay for the repairs, they first had to make a convincing case for clean water. The Department of Watershed Management (DWM) needed to convince Atlanta voters and taxpayers to support then Mayor Shirley Franklin’s ambitious plan to fund $4 billion in improvements for the City’s sewer system. With the goal of communicating the high priority placed on clean drinking water and the necessity of the improvements, DWM had to educate ratepayers and residents. SOLUTION Serving as a contract public information officer (PIO), Howard Franklin launched the department’s first e.communications vehicle. Franklin also penned articles for other citizen-focused publications, drafted talking points for media interviews and presented at town hall meetings to incorporate Mayor Franklin’s message and EPA updates. Howard spent a year as an “ambassador” visiting all 24 Neighborhood Planning Units as an official liaison between community groups and the Mayor’s Office. RESULTS In 2005, Atlanta City Council voted unanimously to approve a five-year schedule of rate increases to fund the federally mandated sewer repair program. And the DWM communications team expanded its work to generate widespread support for the municipal option sales tax (MOST), which voters approved by a 3-1 margin. That voluntary tax helped lower water rates by spreading the cost of repairs to visitors and business travelers who use Atlanta’s water infrastructure every day. From October 2004 through October 2007, the MOST generated more than $332 million, while Clean Water Atlanta continues to garner favorable reviews and enjoy voter support.