{"id":29165,"date":"2020-07-31T12:09:51","date_gmt":"2020-07-31T16:09:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/test.greenmoney.com\/2025\/?p=29165"},"modified":"2020-08-31T05:45:12","modified_gmt":"2020-08-31T09:45:12","slug":"the-future-of-water","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/test.greenmoney.com\/2025\/the-future-of-water\/","title":{"rendered":"The Future of Water"},"content":{"rendered":"
>> Back to August 2020 Issue<\/a><\/div>\n

\"TheWater is the lifeblood of our economy and our communities as well as playing a pivotal role in our health and well-being. This has become more apparent than ever during the public health crisis brought about by the global COVID-19 pandemic. Access to clean and affordable water services is vital to ensuring public health and thriving communities. Modern treatment processes are intended to ensure all viruses, including COVID-19, stay out of the water supply. The challenges facing water systems during a time of crisis will affect communities differently \u2014 those already in the midst of ongoing economic, environmental, and public health challenges may be the hardest hit.<\/p>\n

There is responsibility at every level of government\u2014local, state, and federal\u2014to ensure everyone has access to clean water. It is critical that the systems delivering this essential resource are strong enough to endure economic challenges in the short and long term, and meet the needs of all communities along the way. This is a crucial moment for the United States to invest in a future where everyone can count on reliable and safe water service \u2014 now and for generations to come.<\/p>\n

COVID-19 has made it clear that there is no public health without clean water for all. If one person or community does not have clean water, the health and well-being of everyone else is at risk. Curbing COVID-19\u2019s spread requires people to increase handwashing, personal hygiene, and cleaning standards. But for the more than two million Americans who lack running water, indoor plumbing, or wastewater services in their homes and communities<\/a><\/strong>, these seemingly simple measures are out of reach. Many of those without access to water infrastructure are members of BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) communities, live in rural or tribal areas, or are part of high-risk groups for COVID-19, including the elderly, disabled, homebound, people with preexisting conditions, and the unhoused.<\/p>\n

To weather this global pandemic, we need immediate and sustained intervention to protect the health and well-being of all communities. But we must also begin planning for an economic recovery that leaves our communities and economy stronger and more resilient. If water infrastructure fails, it creates a domino effect across the economy and threatens our environment and public health. One-fifth of the US economy \u2014 including the agriculture, healthcare, manufacturing, and electricity sectors \u2014 would grind to a halt without a reliable and clean supply of water. Yet, we have chronically underinvested in water for too long. As a result, a water main breaks every two minutes<\/a><\/strong> in the United States. The American Water Works Association estimates the country must spend at least $1.2 trillion<\/a><\/strong> over the next two decades on our drinking water and wastewater systems.<\/p>\n

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