Drinking Water Week 2014: Striving for future water infrastructure protection

DENVER, CO, May 9, 2014 -- With the conclusion of Drinking Water Week 2014, the American Water Works Association (AWWA) joins a number of water professionals throughout North America to encourage consumers to evaluate how they currently value, use and access water, and how to protect it going forward. North America's water systems are critical to maintaining public health, economic vitality, fire protection, and quality of life. However, current trends in population, economic growth, energy, climate, and pollution affect water usage and the critical infrastructure the system needs to function properly. "Water is an essential element in our daily lives, but for North Americans, water service is a convenience that we too often take for granted until a serious issue occurs," said AWWA Chief Executive Officer David LaFrance. "We need to be aware of critical issues affecting our water supply now so we can protect against them for the future." As our systems' aging pipes are repaired and replaced over the next 25 years, addressing this issue may be costly, but it's not insurmountable. Facing it head-on by proactively investing in our water systems now is a smart, safe and common-sense investment that will pay off for generations to come.See also:

"Drinking Water Week 2014: Safe Drinking Water Act celebrates 40th anniversary"

"Drinking Water Week 2013: AWWA, water community recognize importance of drinking water"About Drinking Water Week For more than 35 years, AWWA and its members have celebrated Drinking Water Week -- a unique opportunity for both water professionals and the communities they serve to join together to recognize the vital role water plays in our daily lives. Additional information about Drinking Water Week, including free materials for download and celebration ideas, is available on the Drinking Water Week website. ###