CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – Today, Clarksville Gas & Water joined elected officials, water utilities, community leaders, educators, and businesses from across the country as part of the sixth annual ”Imagine a Day Without Water,” a nationwide day of education and advocacy about the value of water. Led by the Value of Water Campaign, a thousand organizations across the country will raise awareness about not taking water for granted and the crucial need for investment in our nation’s water systems.
Turning on the tap for clean, safe drinking water, and flushing the toilet with no second thought about what happens to wastewater, are actions most Americans take for granted every day. But this year as our community dealt with the public health crisis from coronavirus, we saw that reliable water service is something we depend on to protect our health and economy. Our nation’s water infrastructure is aging and in need of investment. A day without water service is a public health and an economic disaster: a single nationwide day without water service would put our entire economy at risk.
“As we ‘Imagine a Day Without Water,’ we all should take time to pause and notice the impact that our Gas & Water Department has on our day-to-day quality of life,” Mayor Joe Pitts said. “Our high-quality water system is vital to the health and success of our growing community, and we must all commit to ensuring a sustainable water future for our city for generations to come.”
Investment in our drinking water and wastewater systems is a pathway to economic recovery. Renewing our aging infrastructure will create jobs, protect public health, and avoid massive costs that will come if we allow these systems to continue to deteriorate.
Clarksville Gas & Water invites you to participate in an online trivia quiz to learn about your local water system and the value of essential water in our lives at https://www.cityofclarksville.com/1011/Imagine-a-Day-Without-Water. Please visit the Imagine a Day Without Water web page for a variety of fun water activities for kids at https://imagineadaywithoutwater.org/home-learners.
“It’s important that we join the nation to raise awareness about the essential role water plays in our daily lives and the importance of maintaining a reliable infrastructure to deliver safe drinking water to our homes,” said Mark Riggins, Gas & Water General Manager.
“We're thrilled that Clarksville Gas & Water is a part of Imagine a Day Without Water. This national day of action educates our neighbors and public officials about the essential role water plays in all of our lives,” said Radhika Fox, CEO of the US Water Alliance and Director of the Value of Water Campaign. “This year showed us the critical importance of water service to safeguard public health and the economy. But the infrastructure and service it takes to bring water to our homes and businesses and take it away is not free and can’t be taken for granted. We all need to educate ourselves about where our water comes from and the investment these critical systems need.”
Imagine a Day Without Water is an opportunity for diverse organizations, from environmental advocates to coffee shops, aquariums to car washes, city halls to water utilities, to talk about how water is important to them. Over the past five years, it has provided a platform for educating the public and advocating for leaders to prioritize investing in water today, so in the future no American will have to imagine a day without water. Learn more at imagineadaywithoutwater.org and follow the conversation on social media at #ValueWater.