FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(703) 335-8937 khowell@pwcsa.org
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
CONTACT: Keenan Howell (703) 335-8937 khowell@pwcsa.org |
by Dean Dickey
Today marks the beginning of Drinking Water Week in Prince William County and around the country. And it is an occasion to reflect on how intricately tap water is woven into our lives. Many of us can hardly imagine a day without it. With what else would we rinse our salad greens? Where would we shower? How would we water our plants, or clean our dishes and clothes? We often take these conveniences for granted, but the Prince William County Service Authority wants you to know the value of your water.
The first obligation of any water supplier is to provide water that is safe for consumption. We live in a world where 1.1 billion people must drink from unsafe water sources. As a result, worldwide, some 9,000 people die every day from preventable waterborne disease, most of them children. The only solution to this tragedy is the construction of sophisticated water treatment and distribution systems—just like the ones many Americans take for granted every day. The majority of community water systems in the U.S. meet every single one of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s high drinking water standards. Safe water runs through the pipes below our streets 24 hours a day to homes, businesses, schools, and hospitals.
We consume only a small percentage of our tap water. One of the great values of our water infrastructure is the fire protection it provides. Without a well-designed water system that operates at sufficient pressure, cities are at risk of disastrous infernos—and disastrous insurance rates. Back in 1901, after a hotel burned to the ground, the Houston Chronicle reported that “inadequate pressure hampered efforts to control the flames.” It added, “Houston’s fire department is the best in the state, but the finest system in the world could not succeed in fighting flames without an adequate water supply. Such a system Houston must have.”
A sustainable water supply is a must for the success of residential communities and commercial enterprises. Countries without adequate water supplies or sound infrastructures understand how difficult it is to grow an economy when safe water is not readily available. But every now and then, a drought comes along and reminds the rest of us. For example, in the booming town of Parker, Colorado, the population grew from 285 people in 1981 to 35,000 in 2004. Water resources engineers are now very concerned that the aquifers the community depends on are drying up. Plans for billion-dollar developments have been thrown into doubt. Suddenly, water in Parker is like gold.
Do you ever think about what would happen if tap water service was not available in your area? When heavy rains raised the turbidity of drinking water in Phoenix, Arizona, the city issued a boil water notice as a precaution. For the first time, 1.4 million people were without a service that they previously had taken for granted. People went without showers. Restaurants shut down. Hospitals postponed surgeries. Citizens even went without Starbucks coffee! Life, in many ways, came to a standstill.
We are all beneficiaries of vast networks of treatment plants, pump stations and pipes that have been handed down to us by previous generations. Some of that network will need upgrading or replacement. And new environmental regulations are leading to even higher treatment standards for drinking water to ensure the utmost in safety for you and your family. We are all stewards of our water system. Tap water may cost more in the future, but the Service Authority is providing its customers with water that has been treated with some of the most advanced methods available today.
The Week reminds us of the importance of safe, reliable tap water. When you consider the critical needs addressed by the quality water you receive from the Service Authority, tap water is a tremendous value. In fact, it is and will remain a bargain.
Dean Dickey is the General Manager of the Prince William County Service Authority, which serves more than 75,000 accounts throughout the County.
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