There is no substitute.

Many of us take for granted that when we turn on our taps, fresh water will appear. And that it will disappear when we flush our toilets, do our dishes, have a shower, or do our laundry.
Most of us don’t think about the systems that prevent flooding in our homes and businesses when it rains.

But our water doesn’t magically appear and disappear. We all depend on water systems to deliver clean water to our taps, and collect and treat wastewater from our homes and businesses so that it can be returned safely to the environment.

While water is provided by nature, there is a real cost for the pipes, pumps, equipment, and people who ensure it is safely delivered to our taps and returned to the environment. Aging infrastructure, population growth, strengthened regulations, seismic hazards, and climate change are driving the need to invest in upgrades and renewal of our water systems, at a time when money is tight and the public is indifferent. If we aren’t willing to pay for these essential systems, our health and prosperity will be at risk.

Renewal of our water systems should be a top priority, to protect our health and environment. It is possible to meet our water system needs, for this generation and the generations that follow, by making sound choices today about priorities for existing tax dollars, and setting user rates so that they cover the full cost of operating, maintaining and replacing systems.