Description: Unprecedented Times Call for Smart Measures
The roughly 50,000 U.S. water utilities are also facing a dire financial crisis. According to additional AWWA research, revenue shortfalls at U.S. drinking water utilities may reduce economic activity by $32.7 billion and cost 75,000 to 90,000 private-sector jobs. Drinking water utilities are expected to see revenues from customer payments drop by nearly $14 billion as a result of the elimination...
PublisherWater Environment Federation
Word count272
Description: Unprecedented Times Call for Smart Measures
While many industries and services have been shut down to slow the spread of the pandemic, essential public services have continued. Water, water resource recovery, and electric services need to be maintained throughout the spread of the pandemic, and the failure to operate could increase pandemic risks. On March 28, 2020, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) released Guidance on the...
PublisherWater Environment Federation
Word count220
Description: Unprecedented Times Call for Smart Measures
As you know, many water supply systems were designed and built decades ago, and old systems are susceptible to a variety of failures. Corroding pipes can leak lead and copper directly into the drinking supply. Some need technological updates to keep pace with stricter pollutant standards that reflect our evolving scientific understanding of risk exposure.
PublisherWater Environment Federation
Word count117
Description: Unprecedented Times Call for Smart Measures
Funding for infrastructure projects has always been challenging. This will only increase now with states and cities experiencing reduced tax revenue because of the pandemic. An article by global consulting firm Stantec (Edmonton, Alberta, Canada), “4 common water infrastructure problems and how to fund improvement initiatives,” notes that the biggest challenge in addressing aging water...
PublisherWater Environment Federation
Word count108
Description: Unprecedented Times Call for Smart Measures
Large cities are not the only ones facing these issues, the Pew Charitable Trusts (Philadelphia) noted in a September 2020 article titled, “Strained Rural Water Utilities Buckle Under Pandemic Pressure.” Small and large systems share common challenges; however, smaller systems have fewer resources. With skeleton crews, they may not have anyone to look after the system if a water...
PublisherWater Environment Federation
Word count274
Description: Unprecedented Times Call for Smart Measures
The need to reduce costs associated with support maintenance of the aging infrastructure is increasing the adoption of smart water management technology, including remote monitoring. Implementing smart technology enables utilities to have better decision-making and be more proactive rather than reactive.
PublisherWater Environment Federation
Word count1,125
Description: Unprecedented Times Call for Smart Measures
The roles essential workers and organizations, such as utilities, play in communities has never been clearer than during this pandemic. Many consumers take water and water resource recovery for granted, but what would happen to health care facilities, for example, if the water quality is compromised? Ensuring uninterrupted services and clean water is vital. One way for utilities to reduce costs,...
PublisherWater Environment Federation
Word count148
Unprecedented Times Call for Smart Measures