Actions speak louder than words. For now, we’ll have to settle for these words detailing the actions we’re taking and those we plan to take. At Master Meter, we are on the forefront of helping water utility managers leverage technology to create a utility of the future. Our technology, advanced meter infrastructure (AMI) and meter data management software (MDM), provides utility personnel with real-time data on their customers’ water consumption, which allows the utility to operate more efficiently and improve their customer service experience. Our role in the utility supply chain is to improve upon our products and create value for our utility customers. However, there are other pieces of the supply chain that need attending to.
Federal, state, and local governments need to make funding water infrastructure a priority to ensure the health and growth of our communities. Of the $550 billion Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act the U.S. Congress is considering, $48.4 billion is allocated for water and wastewater funding. Even so, this substantial investment in water will need to be supplemented by state and local governments to meet the full needs of our communities, because, as the American Society of Civil Engineers put it, “the annual drinking water and wastewater investment gap will grow to $434 billion by 2029.” (source)
It’s not all doom and gloom, though. According to the Value of Water Campaign, “Closing the investment gap would improve the condition and performance of water systems, leading to supply-side and demand-side benefits to the economy.” They estimate that the U.S. gross domestic product would increase by $4.5 trillion! As we have pointed out time and time again, federal-level investment in the water industry is critical to healthy and productive communities across the U.S.
Water utilities were critical throughout the pandemic by providing water for handwashing, monitoring COVID in wastewater, and much more. Everyone at Master Meter will continue to do our part by providing technology solutions and innovations that allow water utilities to better manage their precious resources and make efficient use of their skilled and dedicated workforce. Let’s show our support to these frontline utility workers by funding the upgrades needed to best care for our communities.
