The digital nature of a work does not nullify copyright protection, but it can rapidly damage the commercial value of a work if no compensation is given the copyright owner. Without security for the investment it takes to disseminate an article, a book, an illustration, a video, or a software program, publishers or copyright owners would soon give up the effort. Court-ordered remedies for copyright infringement are costly. Perhaps surprising to many readers is that the underlying impetus for copyright protection is the encouragement of creative expression. Although we seldom think creativity and science at the same time, this is the reason AWWA and its members prepare technical, research, and management articles, books, videos, and training courses.
Creative expression is exactly how science is debated, explored, and advanced.
And that is primary to AWWA s mission.