From the first drip of the coffee maker in the morning to brushing your teeth before bed, water is central to our daily routine. We use it to check items off the to-do list (cooking dinner, doing dishes, wiping down the table). We also use it to treat ourselves (a hot tub soak or steam-filled shower). It is both necessary and rejuvenating. On October 20, water providers across the country challenge people to “Imagine a Day Without Water.”
Because water is dependable and on-demand, it’s easy to take it for granted. It is also something that people, pets and plants cannot live without. That’s why local water agencies work so hard to make sure that the water is safe, reliable and sustainable.
SAFE
Water systems undergo thousands of tests a year to make sure that the water that comes to your tap is safe to drink, bathe in, cook with and more. California has some of the strictest drinking water standards in the world and water agencies must also meet all federal water quality standards. Water agencies publish a report every year with water sampling results.
RELIABLE
Water agencies hire experts to operate and maintain their systems. They also build the systems with emergencies and redundancy in mind. Systems have emergency connections to help prevent outages. Water providers also proactively maintain and replace their pipes and other infrastructure.
SUSTAINABLE
Water managers think about water use today but also plan for water use decades from now. By offering a variety of conservation programs, they are protecting water availability and affordability for future generations. These plans are public documents that are rich with information about our water supplies and strategies.
If you can, in fact, imagine a day without water – it probably isn’t a good one. Let’s take a moment to reflect on the vital role that water plays in our lives.
