Expert View From cybercriminals attacking a British water supplier, to the EPA moving on PFAS chemicals and the water crisis in Jackson, Mississippi, water issues have increasingly made front page headlines in recent months. In this issue, we asked industry executives to weigh in on a recent headline that highlights a broader challenge facing the water industry, and to share their thoughts on how organizations can rise to the challenge.
We can’t forget the importance of community engagement as we tackle today’s water challenges Megan Glover - Co-Founder & CEO, 120WATER
The most recent water crisis in Jackson, MS is yet another unfortunate reminder of an existential crisis that’s affecting drinking water communities across the country. Much of our country’s infrastructure is beyond repair and the lack of funding and persistent threat of climate change are only worsening the crisis. For water professionals and consumers of water, the
line out of the ground. Behind the scenes was an
problem doesn’t get much worse.
unprecedented undertaking led by an incredibly
These national headlines are spotlighting issues that have been compounding for decades and eroding public trust along the way. The reality is the average consumer of water doesn’t understand the
innovative management team with a desire to engage every single member of their community. They ensured no one was left behind on their efforts to replace every single lead service line as soon as humanly possible.
underpinnings of a crisis. Unfortunately, by the time it
In some ways the Newark example is less about
reaches the consumer, the damage is already done.
lead line replacement and more about the power of
And just like our eroding infrastructure, the level of
community engagement and the progress that can be
effort and cost to rebuild that trust with consumers and
made when consumers are included in the planning
communities can take decades.
equation.
Water professionals, now more than ever, must rise to
The communication gap with our consumers and
the occasion and think differently about the people they
communities will only continue to widen as federal
serve. Just as we are planning to identify and replace
regulation around lead and PFAs comes to fruition.
aging infrastructure, we need to be making plans to
The outcomes of these rules and subsequent testing
engage consumers early and often about the work we
requirements will only expose more contamination
are doing to build resilient communities from which
in our drinking water. But with these new regulations
future generations will benefit.
come immense opportunities to make consumers part
One great example of this is Newark, NJ. The city of Newark evolved from a crisis in 2019 – when filters aimed at mitigating lead in drinking water weren’t installed correctly on consumer’s taps – to a shining example in 2022, when the city pulled the last lead
amane currents
| Summer 2022
of the equation. Communicating proactively, and often, with consumers about these looming regulations and their impact must be an integral part of the process – far before the first sample is ever taken or pipe replaced.
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