Water is Worth It!

The May/June 2023 issue of the New Hampshire Town and City magazine is now available for viewing and downloading on the virtual issuu platform here.

See NHWWA article on page 30 that recognizes public water workers for a century of service, and makes recommendations for protecting our water supply for the next 100 years. Thanks to Tim Fortier of the NH Municipal Association for working with us to share information about public water with our municipal leaders!

VIDEO: A Career in Public Drinking Water

Employment in the drinking water profession provides a wide range of rewarding and stable careers with above-average compensation, interesting work, and colleagues committed to public health and service.  See how a career in public water offers a wide range of jobs for a diverse team of professionals, and how American military veterans have found rewarding careers in public water at https://drive.google.com/file/d/1e_nGo18q7db7gdp3Lrq3TT8O8SyhnZ43/view?usp=sharing.

Water is Worth It – Win with Water!

Public water professionals are public health professionals. Without clean water to drink, we cannot survive more than a few days. Without fire protection, property and people are endangered. After a century of hidden, uninterrupted, high-quality, and affordable service, public water has become an integral and constant part of daily life.

After reading some or all of this series, you know more about the diverse community of workers dedicated to keeping clean water in your tap to protect your health and cleaning wastewater to protect the environment. We hope this new knowledge motivates you to make water a more conscious part of your daily routine.

Anyone can help steward drinking water, from informed consumerism to local advocacy for source water sustainability. We are united by the water that covers roughly 70% of the Earth, as well as makes up a similar percentage of our bodies. Coincidence? We think not!

Water is fascinating, unifying, and indispensable. Coming together to be part of how we use water is a meaningful way to transcend personal barriers and social differences. Get to know the people that provide your water services and take time to appreciate and support public water services in your community.

 Win with Water! is an informational series to raise awareness and provide actionable steps to public water system managers, administrators, and policy makers.

‘Tis the Season – Budgets and Bonds

‘Tis the season for local budgets, and have we got a deal for you!  Following a 40-year drought in federal funding, New Hampshire is receiving substantial support for drinking water and wastewater infrastructure investment.  With proper planning and appropriate authorization, your town can bring critical infrastructure up to date and prepare for the next 40 years of safe, affordable, and dependable public water services.

URGENT! Towns should work closely with their water departments to assess their needs.  Public water services projects are complex and expensive, and the first wave of funding must be encumbered by December 2024 and spent by December 2026.  Authorization to accept federal funds and expend required match should be approved at Spring 2023 town meetings.

The NH Department of Environmental Services is doing a great job building capacity to meet critical community needs through numerous loan and grants programs.  Talk to your water services staff and partners and prepare your town to take advantage of this generational opportunity!

Win with Water! is an informational series to raise awareness and provide actionable steps to public water system managers, administrators, and policy makers.

Water Connects Communities

Water – our second most precious resource (after air).  Without water, plants wither, fish flounder, and we dry up and die.  Hard to imagine a world without water, after more than a century of dependable delivery of safe and affordable drinking water to millions of people in America and around the world.  Yet this “hidden infrastructure” needs our stewardship as it underpins modern society’s physical, social, and economic health.

We have talked about how you can help ensure your daily dose of water arrives when and where it is needed: funding through realistic rates and capital investments; attracting and retaining qualified water workers; shaping sound water policy to balance the needs of a complex system; and being involved at the local level to ensure your supply, treatment plant, and distribution systems meet your expected level of service.

Our hope is that residents will make meaningful and manageable contributions to drinking water workers and managers.  With water supplies, treatment, and distribution primarily local, residents and businesses can easily learn a bit more about the fascinating world of drinking water.  Facility operators are proud of what they do, yet modest in their ways.  They are proud to share what they do with interested students, citizens, and other community leaders.  Gather some friends and ask for a tour!

Get to know the people that deliver your drinking water and add to the richness of your civic life by being an informed and engaged drinking water advocate for your town.  From field trips to public planning, your voice matters and your time will be well spent.  By building on our common need for clean and affordable drinking water, towns can come together around an inarguable common benefit.

Win with Water! is an informational series to raise awareness and provide actionable steps to public water system managers, administrators, and policy makers.