WHAT IS 5 CITIES PLUS?
5 Cities Plus is a non-profit, 501 (c) (6), organization comprised of a group of major Midwestern wastewater utilities, which have come together in the common interest of advancing the municipal wastewater industry.
The original 5 Cities group, which organized in the late 1980s, included Cincinnati, Columbus, Indianapolis, Louisville, and St. Louis. It was renamed 5 Cities Plus in 2008 with the addition of Northern Kentucky. Other cities in the region are welcome and encouraged to participate in the group’s activities.
WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF 5 CITIES PLUS?
5 Cities Plus has two main goals:
- Providing leadership and promoting the interest, health, safety, and welfare of residents of the Upper Mississippi/Ohio River basins by enhancing communication between, encouraging excellence within, and fostering prudent management and operation of major metropolitan wastewater agencies in this region.
- Improving business conditions in the municipal wastewater industry by means of technical and educational undertakings, including organizing the 5 Cities Plus Conference. The conference began in 1989 as a brief meeting in response to common problems and ultimately segued into a significant, near-annual forum to review common issues typical of large municipal wastewater entities in this region, to articulate concerns, and to share lessons learned among the participating wastewater professionals.
WHAT DOES 5 CITIES PLUS DO?
5 Cities Plus gathers funding from sponsors to host an annual conference. The conference is planned by and hosted in a different city each year. While the conference was originally set up for municipalities only, consultants are welcome to participate.