本文介绍了水工业数据库的结构、用途和进展。该数据库的目的是向公众提供信息，并对媒体和政府官员提出的问题做出快速、真实的回应。第二个目的是开发一个系统，允许AWWA的各个委员会和团体轻松访问数据库。第一阶段于1989年至1990年完成，调查了600家供水设施，为5万多人提供服务。第二阶段将调查2500家公用事业公司，为10000-50000人提供服务。 有计划通过统计抽样最终涵盖服务于1万人以下的系统。还规定将该数据库与其他数据库链接，包括美国环境保护署的联邦报告数据系统。该数据库的结构是一个“黑匣子”档案的集合，涉及水资源公用事业运营的六个方面，包括总体公用事业特征、财务状况、地表水处理、地下水处理、水质监测和水资源分配。该数据库设计用于监管和研究分析师、公用事业公司、工厂经理、水质经理、工程人员、实验室经理、总经理和财务官、费率分析师和供水规划师，以及设备和服务供应商。 该软件旨在让员工将数据库信息下载到DOS或ASCII格式的软盘上，供个人用户在自己的计算机上使用。

This paper describes the structure, uses, and progress of the Water Industry Data Base. The purposes of the database are to provide information to the public and to respond quickly and factually to questions raised by media and government officials. A second purpose is to develop a system that will permit AWWA's various councils and groups to have easy access to the database. The first phase, completed in 1989-90, surveyed 600 water utilities that serve more than 50,000 persons. The second phase will survey 2500 utilities that serve 10,000- 50,000 persons. There are plans to eventually encompass systems serving fewer than 10,000 persons through statistical sampling. There is provision for linking the database with other databases, including the US Environmental Protection Agency's Federal Reporting Data System. The structure of the database is a collection of "black box" profiles of six aspects of water utility operations, including overall utility characteristics, finances, surface water treatment, groundwater treatment, water quality monitoring, and water distribution. The database is designed for use by regulatory and research analysts, utilities, plant managers, water quality managers, and engineering staff, laboratory managers, general managers and financial officers, rate analysts and water supply planners, and equipment and service vendors. The software was designed to allow staff to download database information onto floppy disks in DOS or ASCII formats for individual users to work with on their own computers.