AMWUA Blog
BY: AMWUA StaffHere's to our dependable, clean, and safe drinking water
We are fortunate to have continuous access to tap water, which ensures public health, fire protection, economic support, and the quality of life we enjoy. Any measure of a prosperous society—low mortality rates, economic growth, and public safety—is related to access to safe water.
This week, we celebrate Drinking Water Week , an opportune time to highlight water's critical role in our lives and reemphasize that tap water is safe, clean, protected, and available whenever needed. It’s also a prime time to learn about your local drinking water. Additionally, our willingness to conserve and protect our water strengthens when we better understand its journey to our faucets and the efforts that go into delivering safe and clean water every day.
Most importantly, we can live in the middle of the desert because municipal water providers, like the AMWUA cities, have built a solid foundation of water security by continuously planning and investing to ensure safe, reliable, and sustainable water supplies for today and the future.
Some of these investments include billions spent to diversify water sources. While many may find it surprising that multiple water sources exist in our arid state, these sources enhance the resilience of our desert communities.
Local municipal water providers constantly seek innovative strategies to enhance and extend their water supplies, particularly given our challenging climate. One viable option for water managers is to maximize the use of recycled water through advanced purification treatment technologies . This approach is efficient and cost-effective on a large scale, offering a more immediate increase in local water supplies. This is especially crucial as we confront a prolonged drought, Colorado River shortages, and groundwater issues.
Recycling water is not a new concept. All the water on our planet has been used and reused. Utilizing advanced technology to purify recycled water through potable reuse accelerates the natural process while providing a necessary, drought-proof water supply of higher quality than what occurs in nature. As more water providers look to expand their portfolios using this innovation, we move closer to the concept of - One Water . This concept has been around for quite some time. Traditionally, the water industry has treated drinking water, wastewater, stormwater, and existing water sources separately, each managed through its own water systems and processes. The goal of One Water is to value water at every stage and in every form, regardless of the source - whether it comes from the tap, a river, a storm, an aquifer, or even wastewater. Making every drop count by reusing it repeatedly is even more critical here in the desert.
So remember, when you turn on any tap in your home, your water utility works tirelessly around the clock to ensure high-quality drinking water is available whenever you need it. Whether it’s to cool off after a workout, warm up in a hot bath, or make your favorite cup of tea or morning coffee, we rely on water for drinking, cooking, and cleaning everything around us. Most importantly, it is always accessible and can be used to safeguard the health and safety of ourselves, our loved ones, and our communities. We should always be aware of how our water, regardless of the source, sustains the life we enjoy.
The American Water Works Association and its members have celebrated Drinking Water Week for over 40 years. It’s a unique opportunity for water professionals and the communities they serve to come together to recognize water's vital role in our daily lives.
For 56 years, the Arizona Municipal Water Users Association has worked to protect our member cities’ ability to provide assured, safe, and sustainable water supplies to their communities. For more water information, visit www.amwua.org .