Water is essential to life and critical for a healthy community, prosperous economy, and clean environment. Our nation’s water infrastructure is vital to the treatment, distribution, and protection of clean drinking water. Yet age, continued strain from population growth, lack of investment, and emerging threats from climate change have increased the burden on our current water infrastructure system and waterways.

Many U.S. cities rely on pipes that are, on average, a century old. Leaking pipes lose an estimated 7 billion gallons of clean drinking water a day and are known to leach contaminants and breed bacteria in drinking water, jeopardizing the health of our nation’s communities.

Needed investment in water infrastructure programs will create thousands of jobs through the replacement and upgrade of pipelines, treatment plants, storage tanks, and the installation of green infrastructure projects. A key part of job creation is the use of gray water systems, water reuse-recycling, hot water circulating systems, and rain water catchment systems. These water saving components can be retrofit in existing facilities and thus add work opportunities in existing and new facilities. In addition to the work created by these piping systems, there is a supply side of industries that will benefit from manufacturing the various pieces of equipment required. These investments will put people back to work and ensure that our communities have access to safe, clean water.

Listen to the press event unveiling the policy.

Download The Document