When you love something, you will go to any length to protect it. But before you can truly feel love, you have to get to a point of knowing and understanding. Maybe the reason I am such a proponent of water is because I’ve spent my life learning so much about it. Every time I write one of these blogs, or speak with the public, the government, or other industry colleagues, it’s all in the name of increasing people’s understanding of water.
So how much do you know about your water? Where does it come from, and how does it get into your home? How is it treated before you drink it? It would seem that Drinking Water Week, May 1-7, 2016, whose theme is “Your Water – To Know It Is To Love It,” is the perfect time to join the water community nationwide and learn about the essential role water plays in public health, fire protection, economic vitality and overall quality of life.
People’s quality of life and the quality of their water go hand in hand, and the water industry is always working closely with the U.S. EPA and state authorities to ensure that the water we provide customers meets, and in many cases surpasses, federal and state safety standards. When it comes to complying with strict federal regulations for delivering clean, quality drinking water, American Water consistently hits the highest scores, and we work to make it easy for our customers to stay updated through Consumer Confidence Reports, which are produced annually, and can be viewed at http://www.amwater.com/customer-service/water-quality-reports.html
Along with those of us in the industry, consumers can also help maintain the quality and supply of drinking water through the following actions:
- Be conscious of your daily water use and take the necessary steps in your home to be water smart and help preserve this precious natural resource.
- Be sure that leaking pipes and faucets — indoors and outdoors — are repaired.
- Take care in the use of garden, lawn, garage or other home products and ensure that they inadvertently do not find their way into groundwater.
- Dispose of chemicals, unused medicines or other potentially harmful products properly and do not put them directly into home drains, the sewer, street drains or the lawn.
You can also learn about your water supply and local water utility by visiting AWWA’s fully updated consumer website, DrinkTap.org, which offers information on various subjects including conservation, household leaks, infrastructure, bottled water, drought, pollution, fluoridation and contaminants. Additionally, a new kids section offers videos, games and educational links. With all of these sources of information, it’s easy to get to know your water, and when it comes to our most precious resource, it’s never a bad time to start falling in love.