Water Well Journal was recognized for the second consecutive year as one of the top business publications in America by earning a 2026 APEX Award of Excellence from Communications Concepts.
WWJ’s February 2025 issue issue was honored in the in the Magazines, Journals & Tabloids — Print (entire issue-over 32 pages plus cover) category. Factored in the judging were all aspects of a publication: the editorial content, graphic design, photography, and more.
The February 2025 issue focused on drilling bits and techniques, and the cover story detailed the latest drilling innovations that were on display at Groundwater Week 2024. The issue also contained a Q&A with an industry veteran who tackled several important topics faced by drillers and began with an Editor’s Note focusing on finding the next generation of the workforce.
This was the 38th Annual Awards for Publication Excellence from Communications Concepts, a group that provides educational information for publishing and marketing professionals. There were approximately 1000 entries in 100 categories this year.
This marks the 24th consecutive year WWJ has earned an APEX award. It has won 41 total APEX Awards in its history, the most in the groundwater industry. The majority of WWJ’s awards through the years have been in a variety of writing categories, and this marked just the fourth time the entire publication was recognized and the first time it has been honored in back-to-back years.
WWJ was also a finalist for the Nichee Award for business-to-business magazine of the year hosted by Niche Media this spring. The awards were presented at the Niche Media Conference, a gathering of publishing professionals from around the country who publish business and consumer publications.
“Winning this award in consecutive years means so much to me,” WWJ Editor Thad Plumley said. “It’s been my goal since I became the editor to deliver one of the best magazines in the country to the groundwater industry. This award is validation that our team is doing just that. To be honored for everything — writing, editing, photography, and design of an entire issue — is truly humbling.”
Click here to read the February 2025 issue.