Key Takeaways Digital transformation in water and wastewater utilities is a historic process that marks a shift from human‐centric decision‐making to autonomous, computer‐driven management enabled by digital twins. By examining the progression of digital transformation, this article explores the historical context, defining characteristics, and key contributions of each phase to digital transformation. Understanding the trajectory of digital transformation provides water professionals with a framework for navigating future technological advances while anticipating their challenges and opportunities to come.

Key Takeaways Greenville Water has transitioned from passive source water protection to more proactive, science‐based watershed management practices. Understanding and managing forest composition protects source water and supports long‐term watershed resilience. Greenville Water's forward‐thinking approach to watershed management was tested when it faced catastrophic damage from Hurricane Helene and the Table Rock Complex Fire within a six‐month span.

Key TakeawaysEffective utility communication requires effective online communication.Transparency and interactivity are two key dimensions of online engagement.The Wisconsin Waterworks Excellence Project developed a set of standards for assessing water utilities’ online communication on a 100‐point scale.These principles were used to evaluate the online communication capacity of 574 water utilities in the state of Wisconsin.