One of the most important tools for the water conservation
professional is public outreach. By motivating your community to be water
conscious and proactive in conservation and efficiency, not only can you reduce
demand but, also, you inspire smart water choices and conscientious resource
management. In that vein, the first part of the month—May 3 through 9—has been
designated as National Drinking Water Week.
Around
the country, cities, states, and local utilities have jumped on the
bandwagon.
In
Ohio, state officials are using this week to commemorate the 35th
anniversary of the
Safe Water Drinking Act. Meanwhile, in the Great Plains, the Bonner
Springs Utilities Department, of Kansas, is offering free tours of its Water
Treatment Facility, so that residents can take a peak at the treatment plant in
action, including its computer monitoring system. On the East Coast,
the
Baltimore Department of Public Works has organized a full week of
activities designed to showcase their water system, including tours of
the local reservoir and treatment plant.
Private
enterprise is getting into the act as well. American Water, the “largest
investor-owned US water and wastewater utility company,” plans on participating
by encouraging local subsidiaries to raise awareness through events and outreach
activities. And Culligan
is offering complimentary in-home water assessment from a certified Culligan
water professional not just this week, but for the entire month of
May.
National Drinking Water Week dates
back over 30 years; it became a nationally recognized program in 1988 when the
EPA, the League of Women Voters, the American Water Works Association, and the
Association of State Drinking Water Administrators formed a coalition to “bring
attention to the nation’s drinking water supply.” Since that time, over 15
organizations have signed on, in both the US and Canada.
So…what are your plans for
National Drinking Water Week?