Developing a Mission Statement

Mission statements are set in the present tense and explain the primary objective(s) of the organization, both to members of the organization and to people outside it. They should be short, clear, and plausible.  

When crafting a mission statement, consider asking your stakeholder groups the following basic questions: 

• • Who does the utility serve?
  • What does the utility do?
  • Why does the utility do it? [optional]
  • How does the utility do it? [optional]

Broadly defined, drinking water utilities are in the business of providing safe, reliable drinking water at an acceptable pressure. Wastewater utilities are in the business of treating and discharging wastewater in an environmentally sound manner. Stormwater utilities are in the business of capturing and cleaning runoff. Systems can use these broad definitions to help craft their individual mission statement(s). Changing the mission statement or creating an organization’s first mission statement is a process of gathering ideas and suggestions for the mission and honing them into a short, sharply focused phrase that meets specific criteria. 

Keeping your mission short and concise makes it easier to communicate to the public and easier for the staff and public to remember. Avoid using buzzwords and jargon. Both are generally ineffective and add unnecessary length.  

Both the SW EFC and EFC WSU developed their individual mission statements by involving their entire teams since they are not large organizations.  

Hover over the images below to reveal each organization’s missions statement:

Both organizations used and recommend the following process for developing a mission statement for your utility or organization:  

1. Divide everyone into small groups (no more than 5 people in a group). 
2. Individually, write words that come to mind when thinking about the organization on sticky notes (one word per note). 
3. As a small group, categorize the words into 3 to 6 categories and give each category a name. Place the sticky notes on a piece of paper with the category name at the top. 
4. Using the category names, craft a mission statement that encompasses some or all of the category names. It can also include ideas from sticky notes but should not include all the words. 
5. Each small group shares the mission statement it created with the entire group. 
6. The entire group either votes, via secret ballot, on the preferred mission statement or discusses how to combine the suggestions into one mission statement. 
7. The chosen mission statement is examined further to see if any additional ideas need to be incorporated. 
8. Final wordsmithing is completed to ensure that it embodies the qualities of a good mission statement and clearly meets the needs of the group. 
9. By the end of the process, your utility will have a statement to share with the community. 

The whole process can take as little as an hour or several meeting times to build and finalize a mission statement that makes sense for your utility. This process can work for any size system. A few helpful hints for brainstorming your mission statement include: 

• • • Be sure that the initial brainstorming session consists of groups of only a few people. This ensures that everyone can participate in the foundational development of the mission. 
    • Do not put staff into groups by role (e.g., office staff, operators, etc.). Mix up staff to include different perspectives in each group. These different perspectives can generate a well-rounded mission statement that represents everyone. 
    • Use tools such as poster board and sticky notes as visual aids to developing the language to use in your mission statement. 
    • Give people plenty of time to brainstorm so that they can adequately and accurately identify words and phrases that best meet their ideas. 
    • See the Resources page for more information and guidance on developing a mission statement. 

When your mission statement is finalized, share it with all other city departments and with your community. The value of a mission statement comes from its use as an interface with the community, as an aid in goal setting, and as a motivational tool for staff at all levels.  

 Display your mission statement everywhere possible. Use it on your letterhead, website, bills, social media, vehicles, signs, etc. A well-thought-out mission statement can provide vision and direction for at least ten years. Generally, mission statements do not need to be revised unless the mission statement loses some of its relevance, no longer speaks to staff, board members, and customers, or the mission of the organization changes.