Safe, reliable and secure water does not happen by accident. The act of receiving clean, healthy water with the turn of a spigot requires a remarkable system of highly trained professionals and sophisticated infrastructure.
America’s remarkable water system has been so successful, we have an expectation that inexpensive water will be available to drink, available to protect our homes and businesses, and available for the quality of life we enjoy every day.
We Americans are the biggest consumers of water in the world. It’s estimated that, on average Americans use 30 gallons of water by 9 a.m., every day. By day’s end that figure is up to 150 gallons. Meanwhile, the British use about 40 gallons per day; the Chinese average 22 gallons per day; in the most poor countries in Africa, people use on average about 13 gallons per day.
Our course is unsustainable. There are some parts of our country that are already experiencing – or soon are to experience – a water crisis. The infrastructure in many parts of our country is in critical need of upgrade in the years to come. With a projected need for investment of nearly $1 trillion over the next 20 years, the Water Consumers Alliance will focus on educating and engaging Americans around these critical issues.
The Water Consumers Alliance is dedicated to smart water policy. That doesn’t mean that one policy meets every community in America. Hundreds of U.S. cities and towns are facing significant water rate increases to cover the costs to repair the infrastructure, to continue to provide clean, safe water and to pay for overhead cost including employee benefits. Who should pay? What is fair? What is smart water policy? Let’s work on this together.
