How to Present WaaS® to Decision-Makers — and Win Approval

While the approach may be unfamiliar to decision-makers, highlighting its many benefits can help seal the deal

As a utility director, planner, or engineer, you may be facing the challenge of presenting water or wastewater solutions to a board or council. It’s important to present arguments clearly and with authority while still meeting decision-makers where they are, which is generally under a great deal of pressure and with few attractive options. Tight budgets and complex approval processes can leave entire communities in a stressful quandary that seems to have no good way out.

If you’re proposing Seven Seas Water Group’s Water-as-a-Service® as a solution, what’s the best way to present it? While this model of infrastructure delivery may still be an unknown to those who have exclusively dealt with the traditional design-bid-build process, this guide explains how to emphasize the benefits of an exciting new mode of infrastructure delivery. There is no shortage of real-world success stories to get them on board.

What’s the best way to explain what WaaS® is, how it works, and why it delivers financial predictability, operational reliability, and regulatory peace of mind — all without upfront costs? WaaS® efficiently addresses so many of the pain points of infrastructure decision-making that it may sound too good to be true. This guide will help make real its dramatic benefits.

Start With the Why

Utility planners and councils respond when they see clearly defined problems and the risks of inaction. It can be helpful to highlight these common pain points:

• Inadequate treatment capacity due to rapid population growth or the aging-out of existing systems
• Limited bonding capacity, which can hinder traditional financing
• The lengthy timelines and red tape associated with design-bid-build projects

You may want to underline the consequences of delays, including the cost of permitting setbacks, development holdups, and potential regulatory penalties. Setting the stage with real stakes can showcase WaaS® as a welcome solution.

What Is WaaS® and How Is It Different?

Under WaaS®, Seven Seas handles all operations and maintenance, ensuring reliable performance and regulatory compliance without adding staff burden.

Compare this to traditional models, where communities manage separate contracts, contractors, consultants, and local inventories. They also bear economic and compliance risks.

There may be ambivalence about relying on the private sector in a traditionally public space. Reassure your audience that local control remains intact through performance guarantees, compliance standards, and transparent service agreements. Link key terms to deepen understanding: visit the Water-as-a-Service® overview for details.

Key Talking Points for Boards and Councils

Prepare concise messages that resonate with decision-makers:

• Financial predictability: Having no upfront cost and one negotiated monthly fee eliminates budget surprises. All operations and maintenance costs are included in WaaS®, so there are no unexpected repair or upgrade expenses to ambush the customer.
• Speed: Modular systems can be online in months, not years, accelerating community and economic growth.
• Risk reduction: WaaS® shifts risk to Seven Seas. Responsibility for regulatory compliance and operational performance rests with Seven Seas under a clear, service-level agreement.
• Flexibility: Expandable infrastructure adapts as community demand changes or if projections prove inaccurate.
• Proven success: Case studies across Texas, Florida, and the Caribbean demonstrate real-world results.

These points communicate value without relying on confusing acronyms.

Need help building your board presentation? Contact Seven Seas for financial models and case studies.

Addressing Common Questions and Concerns

It’s best to anticipate skepticism and prepare evidence-based answers to questions such as:

• Is WaaS® more expensive long term? Savings are possible on both the front and back ends. It’s important to analyze current water costs and the region’s projected water future.

  In one example, the water-stressed municipality of Alice, Texas, used WaaS® to complete a project with no upfront cost while lowering high existing water prices and guaranteeing lower long-term prices. Look for a similar win-win locally, and discuss factors such as economic benefits for the local economy and intangibles such as the peace of mind that comes from knowing the community’s water is in the hands of experts.

  Also factor in how WaaS® agreements remain insulated from the political ups and downs that often delay maintenance and lead to more costly problems and crises.

• What if the provider underperforms? Service-level agreements (SLAs) and enforcement mechanisms ensure accountability. Seven Seas does not get paid if it does not meet contractual quantity and quality requirements at the agreed-upon price.
• Will we lose control? Contracts include oversight provisions and transparent reporting.
• What happens if needs change? Board members often worry about locking into a system that might not fit future demand, whether that means growth exceeding projections or usage falling short. WaaS® is designed to adapt. Because infrastructure is modular, treatment capacity can be increased or decreased without abandoning existing investments. This flexibility means your investment remains right-sized over time, avoiding stranded assets and the political headaches of explaining unused infrastructure.

By addressing these queries head-on, you build trust and demonstrate that WaaS® aligns with public-sector values.

Real-World Success Stories That Resonate

Nothing underscores your message like proof in practice. Highlight success stories:

The Alice, Texas, BWRO plant eliminated the city’s reliance on costly imported water and secured long-term rate stability.

Facing persistent drought conditions and high dependence on costly imported water, the City of Alice needed a sustainable, long-term source of drinking water. Traditional financing options would have required significant upfront capital, a non-starter for the city’s budget. Through WaaS®, Seven Seas delivered a 2.7 million GPD brackish water reverse osmosis (BWRO) plant with no upfront cost. The service agreement locked in lower water rates than the cost of imported water, while guaranteeing water quality that meets all regulatory standards.

Paraquita Bay’s SWRO facility delivers a steady, affordable water supply to meet the island’s growing residential and tourism needs.

Paraquita Bay

Paraquita Bay had long faced water scarcity due to limited freshwater resources and growing demand from residents and tourism. A traditional design-bid-build approach would have meant years of permitting, design, and construction, time the island simply didn’t have. Seven Seas implemented WaaS® to design, build, own, and operate a seawater reverse osmosis (SWRO) desalination plant capable of delivering a consistent supply of potable water to the island. By removing the capital burden and including operations, maintenance, and regulatory compliance in one monthly fee, the community secured a stable, cost-effective water source without overextending local resources. This approach has strengthened the island’s resilience to drought and positioned it for sustainable growth.

Helpful Tools to Bring Into the Room

Equip presenters with materials that make complex data accessible, including:

• Cost comparison models that illustrate CAPEX versus WaaS® fees
• Contract samples that highlight oversight and enforcement provisions
• Regional case study summaries featuring municipal partners

Visual aids and one-page handouts help board members digest information quickly and refer back to key points.

Final Tip: Keep the Focus on Outcomes

Decision-makers care most about clean water, budget impacts, and community growth. Avoid technical jargon and emphasize positive results, including:

• No upfront investment or risk
• No long-term O&M
• Faster service delivery
• Fewer delays and permitting headaches
• Regulatory compliance without additional staff burden

By framing WaaS® in terms of outcomes, you throw light on an efficient, updated, managed service solution that stands head-and-shoulders above legacy models.

Ready to Present WaaS® as a Solution?

Reach out to our team to access tailored presentation materials, financial models, and expert support.

Seven Seas is an international leader in water treatment as a service, with decades of experience owning, operating, and expanding decentralized water and wastewater treatment infrastructure across the U.S., Caribbean, and Latin America.

Headquartered in Tampa and Houston, Seven Seas oversees more than 220 treatment plants and has earned a stellar global reputation for delivering sustainable, reliable, and financially engineered water solutions, including desalination, reuse, and modular treatment technologies.

Let’s make your next board presentation the one that gets a ‘yes.’ Contact Seven Seas to access custom financial models, case studies, and talking points tailored to your community’s needs.

Image Credit: dotshock/123RF