WASHINGTON, DC, April 23, 2015 -- As private water companies across the country worked with local communities to celebrate Earth Day on Wednesday, April 22, the National Association of Water Companies (NAWC) renewed its commitment to protecting the nation's finite water supplies and better stewarding its use by accelerating investment in water infrastructure.
Michael Deane, NAWC executive director, commented that Earth Day is "an important time to celebrate this nation's environmental successes and focus attention on challenges we all face and one of those challenges is being better stewards of water."
He added, "The country's water supply depends on preserving our oceans, rivers, streams, aquifers, and watersheds to ensure there is a supply of water for collection, treatment and distribution to American communities from Bangor, Maine, to El Paso and from Miami to Seattle."
Deane also stressed the immediate necessity to improve America's water infrastructure and accelerate investment in new water pipes (mains), pumps, valves, tanks, and treatment facilities, some which have been in operation for over a century.
According to the Environmental Protection Agency, there are more than 240,000 water main failures each year. These repairs cost more than $3 billion annually, excluding the cost of equipment, traffic disruptions and lost work time. The EPA projects a $500-billion gap in funding that will be needed to maintain the nation's water infrastructure into 2020.
See also:
"Water Week 2015: NAWC releases statement of support for event"
"NAWC executive director issues statement on Obama Administration's water infrastructure proposals"
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