We have read the results of a survey that asked Americans about how important water is in their lives Value of Water Coalition released recently in relation to National Drinking Water Week.
The results also include the immediate action needed to maintain water supply and water infrastructure.
The survey results revealed that “more than four out of five Americans said it was important to invest in strategies and programs to develop sustainable water supplies” and “more than half of those surveyed expressed agreement that water bills need to increase so that water systems can be upgraded, maintained, and modernized.”
Radhika Fox, director of the Value of Water Coalition concluded that the results of the study show that Americans are well-informed about the state of water in the nation and that it is worth investing in.
Water Online reports:
“The survey was commissioned by the Value of Water Coalition and conducted online by Harris Poll between April 9-13, 2015, among 2,023 adults ages 18 and older living in the United States. The findings include:
- Eighty two percent of Americans think it is important or extremely important to invest in strategies and programs that develop sustainable water supplies.
- After explaining that the primary source of funding to modernize and repair water infrastructure is the revenue collected by local water and wastewater providers from their customers, more than half of respondents (56 percent) agreed with the statement “water bills need to increase to repair and modernize water and wastewater infrastructure.”
Millions of Americans are adjusting to life during a historic drought and millions of others live in cities with perilously outdated infrastructure.
The Value of Water Coalition is encouraged by the survey’s results: the public supports the Coalition’s commitment to elevating the importance of investment in water infrastructure and water resources in our national dialogue.”
This survey is valuable because it shows that the public is aware that changes need to be made to the system for water management and that they are willing to pay more in order for this to happen.
Both of these are very good news for utilities and companies intending to raise water and sewer costs.
Structured infrastructure management planning that demonstrates a thorough analysis of asset lifecycle management expenditure and revenue requirements is particularly useful in informing the governance and community discussions and consensus-building that is required before tariff rises are agreed.
PHOTO CREDIT: Laura Taylor via Creative Commons License
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