Disclaimer: This Inside South Florida segment is sponsored by Value of Water. All opinions and views are of the advertiser and does not reflect the same of WSFL-TV.
With 2 million Americans living without access to clean water and sanitation services, and the challenge of maintaining a century-old water infrastructure, there is growing concern about the stability of our current and future water systems. Recently, Inside South Florida welcomed Christy Harowski, Director of the Value of Water Campaign, to discuss these critical issues.
The Value of Water Campaign conducts an annual national poll to track voter outlooks on water issues. According to Harowski, the latest data indicates that water is becoming an increasingly important issue for voters. "[Water] remains a bipartisan issue, and [voters] are willing to invest more to ensure their communities have access to safe and reliable water services," she noted. Remarkably, 88% of voters across the country ranked water reliability as a top three voter issue, alongside reducing inflation and building a stronger economy.
Harowski was particularly struck by the bipartisan support for water issues. "It's rare to find a single issue with such broad support across the country. That’s a reflection of the intrinsic value of water in our lives," she said. Despite concerns about affordability, many people are still willing to pay up to $50 more annually on their water bills to ensure reliable access to safe water and wastewater services.
America's water infrastructure, much of which is over 100 years old, has outlived its useful life. "Water mains are breaking with more frequency, more pipes have leaks, [and] increased climate impacts that are not able to be addressed," Harowski explained. These issues can lead to higher water bills as local utilities pass on repair costs to ratepayers. Moreover, service disruptions can negatively impact businesses and the economy. However, continued investment in water infrastructure could reduce these negative impacts by about 46% over the next 10 to 20 years, significantly benefiting the nation's economy.
The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021 marked a significant step toward addressing these issues, with Congress allocating $55 billion for America's water systems—the largest investment in water infrastructure in the country's history. "This funding is being spent on priority projects such as finding and replacing lead service lines in communities… and repairing and replacing aging infrastructure," Harowski said. While substantial, this investment is just a start toward the level of funding needed to overhaul the nation's water systems comprehensively.
For more information on the Value of Water Campaign and how to get involved, visit thevalueofwater.org.
