Water Infrastructure Investment Critical to Future Accessibility

(NewsUSA) - Clean, safe, reliable water is more important now than ever. With the global health emergency still posing challenges, clean water is essential for maintaining personal hygiene at home and in the community to help prevent the spread of illness.

However, aging water infrastructure in the United States threatens the water accessibility of many communities across the country. According to a recent report from the American Society of Civil Engineers and the Value of Water Campaign, a water main breaks somewhere in the U.S. at least every two minutes.

The report calls for action to improve water infrastructure and mitigate the economic impact of continued breaks, flooding, shutdowns, and storm damage to businesses that have already been impacted by the pandemic.

One participant in the report, American Water, a private company that owns more than 460 water and wastewater systems in the United States, is committed to investing in the water infrastructure that is necessary to maintain public health and says private water companies can help close the gap in funding that is needed to improve the nation's water infrastructure.

For its part, American Water maintains approximately 52,000 miles of pipelines throughout the United States, and replaces aging pipes faster than the average rate for the water utility industry. In addition, it tests tap water regularly, providing quality water that meets or surpasses the standards set by the Environmental Protection Agency.

"American Water is focused on providing customers with clean, safe, reliable drinking water by investing in infrastructure, remaining committed to the highest standards of water quality, and educating people about water conservation measures," says Cheryl Norton, SVP, Chief Environmental Officer, American Water.

With plans to invest approximately $20 to $22 billion over the next 10 years in water infrastructure, the company's goals include not only replacing pipes, but also building new facilities and upgrading existing facilities for treatment, storage, and pumping in order to expand capacity, enhance resiliency, and comply with the latest water-quality standards.

To help raise awareness of the value of clean, reliable water, American Water takes part in the annual "Imagine a Day Without Water" awareness campaign, this year held on October 21. But the company is committed to continuing to work hard every day so that customers need not imagine a day without water, and shining a light on what happens behind the scenes so that customers can continue to expect clean water to flow from their taps.

Visit amwater.com for more details about clean water and how American Water is working to support safe drinking water, water services, and water conservation throughout the United States.