The word ‘need’ is a through line in this edition of our newsletter. States need to make one more big push on replacing lead service lines. The nation’s 11th-most populous state needs a lot more water. Equipment buyers need clarity on trade policy in 2026. And the nation needs hundreds of thousands of electrical and manufacturing workers, something an industrial blue chip is trying to address. There’s plenty we need to chew on as we race toward the start of another year.

— Geert De Lombaerde