(Editor’s note: This letter published in the Oct. 26 edition of The Republic.)
From: William Porter
Columbus
Many Americans take water service for granted every day. Turn on the tap, and clean water flows out. Flush the toilet, and dirty water goes away. With reliable water service, people don’t have to think twice about what comprises the systems that bring water to their homes, and then returns that used water back to the environment. But, everyone should be concerned with the fragility of those systems.
Imagine a Day Without Water was Oct. 23. It provided people an opportunity to take a moment and think about what would happen if they couldn’t turn on the tap and get clean drinking water, or if they flushed the toilet and wastewater didn’t go anywhere. What would such a day be like? What would firefighters do if there was no pressure in a nearby hydrant? Could hospitals be sanitary without clean tap water, or without wastewater service? Would restaurants and hotels be able to serve guests? Would our manufacturing plants that require vast amounts of clean water shut down?
We take for granted that we don’t have to ask those questions every day, but America’s water infrastructure is aging and failing more frequently.
Our water infrastructure supports every facet of our daily lives but continues to be in the back of our minds until something goes wrong. How many of us remember the panic and empty shelves at our grocery stores during a city-wide boil order in 2017? Having access to reliable and safe water systems is a must for us all.
While our area hasn’t experienced the droughts that other parts of the country are currently, we have seen the effects of unusual rain patterns. Record rainfalls this spring flooded the Mississippi River drainage basin with pollution, and this summer toxic algae bloomed in the Great Lakes — a critical source of drinking water for millions of Americans.
Water challenges look different to different communities and will require local solutions, but reinvestment in water systems should be a national priority. Strong leadership on water is key to securing America’s future.
Imagine a Day Without Water was an opportunity for everyone to get educated about our local water systems and challenges, what organizations are trying to do to solve our big water problems. We need leadership at every level if we want to secure a better future for the millions of Americans who don’t currently have reliable water service and to ensure a reliable water future for generations to come.
