Managing competing water needs among limited water resources in the Western United States is a complex issue that demands the attention of multiple actors. This paper explores the nature and outcomes of a set of scientist-stakeholder engagement activities as part of a large interdisciplinary research project, iUTAH (innovative Urban Transitions and Aridregion Hydro-sustainability).  A key goal of the project was to engage public utilities staff across nine cities in formulating research questions, sharing data, and evaluating the data analysis process on water use, price, and conservation variability in the Wasatch Front of Utah. Stakeholders were involved in many steps of the process including consultation on the urban context, data collection, and public reporting.  Other key goals were to add human capacity to city data analysis and generate better science-based information that could be used by water managers in this region. The project was designed to address empirical concerns by ensuring accuracy and rigor in scientific research as well as democratic concerns by sharing the results with the community and ensuring a "right to science." We present evidence that transdisciplinary approaches involving scientific researchers and external partners offer promising solutions to address community environmental problems.  The results reveal how engaging water managers produced trust, communication, and impact on water decision-making. This paper demonstrates how stakeholder involvement translates to societal impacts and informs best practices for broader transdisciplinary applications in promoting water sustainability.