The Water Collaborative

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The Water Collaborative

The Water Collaborative is the regional leader in urban water management.

Through our collaborative working groups we develop unique and necessary approaches to our world’s most pressing issue, water managment due to climate change. We believe everyone has a role to play regarding stormwater management, flood prevention, and climate change adaptation and mitigation. By bringing design professionals, urban planners, non-profits, social enterprises, neighborhood associati

ons, elected officials, and concerned citizens together, we create smarter and unique opportunities for collective thinking for innovative and practical models of resilience.

06/04/2026

Safe drinking water shouldn’t depend on your ZIP code. 🚰

We’re celebrating the passage of SB228 and SB268, two bills championed by Senator that help address barriers to replacing hazardous drinking water service lines in Louisiana.

This moment reflects years of research, community engagement, advocacy, and partnership. Following the release of our 2024 Lead Service Line Study, The Water Collaborative continued working with residents, partners, funders, and policymakers to advance solutions that improve drinking water infrastructure and protect public health.

SB268 now heads to the Governor’s desk for consideration. ✍️

SB228 proposes a constitutional amendment that Louisiana voters will consider on November 3, 2026. 🗳️

We are grateful to Senator Duplessis for his leadership and partnership, and to everyone who helped move this work forward.

Together, we’re building a future where every community has access to safe, reliable drinking water. 🤝🎉💧

06/02/2026

Nearly 200 people came together on Friday night for We’re Not Leaving: Dance & Dissent, and we’re still feeling the energy.

What stood out most wasn’t just the turnout. It was the conversations, connections, and reminders that community care and collective action can coexist with joy.

Attendees shared that they left feeling hopeful, inspired, and connected. They appreciated hearing from passionate speakers doing tangible work to support Louisiana, finding common ground through shared experiences dating back to Katrina, and engaging with issues that affect our entire community.

One participant summed it up perfectly: “Usually, advocacy events are informative, but not joyful. This was both, and it was refreshing.”

Thank you to everyone who joined us, danced with us, shared your stories, visited community organizations, and helped create a space where culture, advocacy, and joy could live together.

Special thanks to , , , , , , , , , , .us, , , and for helping to make this 1st event such a success!

This was never just a party. It was a reminder that we’re stronger when we gather, organize, celebrate, and imagine a better future together.

We’re not leaving. 💙

05/27/2026

We’re just days away from We’re Not Leaving: Dance & Dissent Party ✨

Joining us Friday night:
🎧 HEELTURN
🎶 Saint Amethyst
💃 New Orleans Voodoo Baby Dolls

An evening of music, movement, climate justice, and community conversations in the heart of New Orleans.

🚨 The event is officially SOLD OUT 🚨

You MUST have a ticket in order to attend. The venue has a strict capacity limit, and unfortunately anyone without a ticket will be turned away at the door.

Thank you all for the overwhelming support. We can’t wait to dance, dissent, and celebrate with y’all.

05/26/2026

We honestly didn’t know what to expect when we started planning We’re Not Leaving: Dance + Dissent Party, but New Orleans showed up in a big way. 💙

The event is officially SOLD OUT with 275+ RSVPs and a growing waitlist.

We created this space for people carrying fear, grief, and uncertainty about the future of our coast and communities and to gather around joy, culture, connection, and collective action instead.

On Friday, we’ll be joined by:
✨ Monique Verdin
✨ Nate Cameron
✨ Cierra Chenier

🎶 Music from Saint Amethyst + HEELTURN

🤝 Community organizations including , , , , , and maybe a few other surprises!

Thank you to everyone who signed up, donated, and shared the event. We can’t wait to be in community with y’all.

New Orleans is still worth fighting for.

05/19/2026

NEW ORLEANS, we heard y’all loud and clear because tickets are almost gone. 👀🔥

Join us for We’re Not Leaving: Dance & Dissent Party on Friday, May 29 at for an evening rooted in joy, community, culture, and climate action. This gathering is a response to the narratives telling Gulf South communities that our future is disposable. We disagree.

The night will feature waterside conversations, music, dancing and community with an incredible lineup of speakers:
💧 Cierra Chenier, Black New Orleans writer & historian
💧 Monique Verdin, Houma Nation artist and Gulf South food sovereignty organizer
💧 Nate Cameron Jr., cultural organizer of and co-founder of glbl wrmng collective

🎤 Co-facilitated by Jessica Dandridge-Smith of and Franziska Trautmann of .co

📍 Hotel Peter & Paul
📅 Friday, May 29, 2026
⏰ 7–10 PM

Low ticket alert 🚨 Don’t wait too long to grab yours. 🔗 in bio or visit https://linktr.ee/nolawater

Joy | Collective Action | Community

05/14/2026

Lately, it feels like every headline about New Orleans is asking whether this city has a future.

We disagree.

Join The Water Collaborative and Glass Half Full for “We’re Not Leaving,” a Dance & Dissent Party bringing together community, conversation, music, and collective joy in the face of climate anxiety, political uncertainty, and the nonstop doomscroll cycle.

✨ DJs
🌊 Waterside Chats
🤝 Community organizations
💛 Space to connect, organize, dance, and breathe

Because New Orleans has always responded to hardship through culture, resistance, and each other.

📍 Hotel Peter & Paul
📅 May 29, 2026
🕖 7 PM – 10 PM
🎟️ Free admission | Donations encouraged: https://ow.ly/Zbmn50YZOzP

We’re not leaving.

05/04/2026

Did you catch our Executive Director in the national news a few weeks ago!

"Dandridge-Smith said she was surprised to hear the administration was also taking a more active role in containing microplastics. Earlier this month, the EPA proposed for the first time to include microplastics and pharmaceuticals on a list of contaminants in drinking water.

But for her, the EPA’s proposals fell short, as the agency kept “talking about economy first over water quality” during the meetings. “It’s like you can’t do economy and climate, it’s like those two things tend to not coexist,” she said. “The administration is taking everything about the economy, and then our health, our safety, is put on the back burner.”

Go to the link in our bio to read the full piece ✨️

04/24/2026

We wrapped up National Water Week! Here are the top 5 lessons learned.

Thank you again to representatives and as well as senator for meeting with us. We look forward to working together in the future.

Shout to the for there awesome press event at the hill. Please Go to their page to learn more.

04/10/2026

The Louisiana Legislative session is in full swing and we know there's already a lot going on, but don't forget about water! From coastal to drinking water, swbno and event in between, We'll provide bi-weekly updates on water legislation so you can stay informed and take action.

Follow Kennedy, our state policy coordinator and epa ambassador for updates on social media and on our newsletter.

What's your biggest water concern in 2026?

04/03/2026

This week our Executive Director, Jessica Dandridge-Smith and our State Policy Coordinator attend Coastal Day at the state capital. It was great reconnecting with our Coastal partners and supporting one another in what has been a challenging year.

While the wins have been small, the work continues and Coastal groups are stronger and more united than ever. See you all next year.

Address

New Orleans, LA
70116

Website

https://linktr.ee/Nolawater

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