At Master Meter, we spend time with water utility employees to get to know our customers. We’re friends with customer service agents, utility managers, and field technicians, like Irma Mendoza of Round Rock, TX and Jeff Price of Mansfield, TX. We know what drives them to come to work every day. These amazing people like Irma and Jeff deliver clean, safe water to our communities, and they deserve support at all levels of government. So it’s only natural that we turn to leadership from across our industry for ideas on how to support the water industry.
Prominent water organizations are lining up to detail not only how the new administration can broadly help the water industry, but also how it specifically can aid in the industry’s recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. The American Water Works Association (AWWA), Rural Community Assistance Program (RCAP), Water Environment Federation (WEF), and US Water Alliance have published innovative ideas and analysis on how the Biden Administration and Congress can bolster the people who provide clean water to cities and towns, big and small, across the U.S. Following are a few high-level quotes on how to support the water industry.
Support the water industry by helping people pay for water and water systems to stay financially soluble
“Providing financial assistance to people who are struggling to pay their water utility bills is needed now more than ever. Giving utilities a path forward to assist customers who are on low or fixed incomes and struggling with unemployment at this time would help us keep the water flowing at a time when it is needed the most.” – AWWA President, Melissa Elliott
Allowing small communities to recover from the devastating effects of the pandemic and economic downturn
“As a nonprofit network reaching rural and small communities in all 50 states, we know all too well that the economic crisis presented by COVID-19 has only served to exacerbate the challenges rural and underinvested communities face.” – RCAP CEO, Nathan Ohle
Support the water industry by creating and supporting jobs in the water sector so the nation can recover
“WEF and our members will provide your administration with the expertise to accelerate and expand water infrastructure investments to spur economic development and address environmental equity at the community level.” – WEF President, Lynn Broaddus
Understanding the importance of the water system and our essential workers
“The US Water Alliance believes we have a unique opportunity in how we respond and recover from COVID-19. We can take this moment of deep disruption and turn it into a source of lasting transformation in how we view, value, and manage our nation’s water systems.” – US Water Alliance.
With this collection of ideas from our industry’s top associations, we can strive to improve the health and wellbeing of our communities by supporting water professionals. While our friends at utilities continue their important work, it is our earnest hope that the Biden Administration and Congress will show some love to the essential workers of the water industry.
Want to make a difference? Contact your congressional representatives to explain the many ways in which water keeps communities of all sizes alive. Let’s make sure these ideas on how to support the water industry don’t just catch on but become a reality.
