As part of our close work with Ugandan communities to develop sustainable, locally managed economies, MAPLE also focuses on making access to clean water sustainable for the communities we serve. Grace Burleson, a graduate student of mechanical engineering and anthropology at Oregon State University, has served as a field intern for MAPLE in Uganda on three different occasions. In this article, Grace offers sage advice to all organizations and communities working on this important issue. We are grateful for her work and for her guidance. https://www.engineeringforchange.org/long-term-project-planning/