The Imagine a Day Without Water campaign, hosted by the Value of Water campaign, is truly one for public stakeholders because imagining that day is a nightmare situation for the water industry. We’re acutely aware of water’s connection to, well, everything. Imagine A Day Without Water, falls on October 10th this year and it’s a day dedicated to sharing with Americans and elected leaders the importance of having conversations about the current state of our water industry and taking action to invest in water infrastructure in order to provide safe and reliable water and wastewater for every community.
As a water tech company ourselves, the word “infrastructure” means something different to us. Obviously, with water providers as our clients, we understand the pipes, valves, and meters in the ground but data infrastructure is equally important. Data allows utilities to make more informed decisions in real-time. It provides your customers with more access to their own water data and empowers them to make better decisions related to their water use. Access to data is no longer a luxury, but an expectation of customers.
As technology allows water utilities to provide more and more layers of data to customers, utilities begin to narrow the gap between expectation and reality. Meeting customer expectations creates value as they perceive value which can translate into more support and buy-in for water-related projects down the road. As industry leader, George Hawkins, stated at the Water Services Association symposium in Australia this past summer, “Creativity and innovation are core values of our industry. It unlocks a door to a relationship to the people we serve and the people who do the work.”
Customers want to see continual improvement and that their water utility is providing a better service today than it was a year ago. This expectation can be met with data and technology that puts water in the purse, palm, or pocket of your customers—right where they expect it to be. As aficionados of both water and data, we feel honored to be a part of that value chain.
In a world where customers are more likely to panic over a day without cell coverage than a day without water, it behooves us to accept the role of technology in today’s world. It doesn’t mean downplay the value of water as related to technology. It means using technology as another tool to convey the story of water’s value.
Technology and water is a section in our latest ebook on communicating the value of water. As subject matter experts it’s nearly impossible to remember what it was like before we knew what we know. That creates a challenge when trying to communicate water to a public that rarely thinks about water, let alone it’s value. The purpose of the ebook is to be a tool for those tasked with communicating the value of water and it lays out some messaging ideas to keep in mind while crafting content. Master Meter is committed to being a resource for those passionate about telling water’s story. In honor of Imagine a Day Without Water, we wanted to end with Water.org co-founder, Matt Damon, asking unsuspecting everyday people “What if you had to wait for water?”
