Investing in infrastructure is a continual priority to ensure reliable and resilient water systems

Our cities’ infrastructure is vital to making our daily lives function smoothly. Of all infrastructure types, water systems are the most fundamental to life by providing the delivery of safe and clean water to households, industries, and businesses. Millions of gallons of treated water move through miles of pipes buried deep under our feet every day. The water circulates through treatment plants, tanks, pumps, and miles of service lines that deliver water to our water meters and into our homes.

Providing water to more than half of the State’s population is no small feat. And the infrastructure which exists in each of the AMWUA cities is unique and vast. Their collective infrastructure consists of 30 water treatment plants, over 18,000 miles of water lines, 142,000 fire hydrants, and more than one million water meters. All of which highlights the extent of the infrastructure needed to deliver water every day of the year.

Clean and safe water is such a precious commodity, and investing in pipelines, canals, treatment plants, recharge projects, and countless other technology upgrades is critical for securing our water future. Such investments ensure that Arizona’s water supplies remain clean and reliable. This is even more important than ever as water utilities face pressures on their water supplies impacted by two decades of historic drought and a Colorado River shortage.

Like all other types of infrastructure, including transportation, telecommunications, and power, water infrastructure ages over time and eventually must be replaced. That is why maintaining and upgrading infrastructure is a continual priority for the AMWUA cities and all water providers. This includes making the financial commitment to invest in the maintenance, replacement, and expansion of their water infrastructure.

Maintaining aging and expansive water distribution and collection systems is an ongoing and growing expense for your city and is a significant component of your city’s water rates. Your city water professionals are continually fine-tuning their overall plan and funding for the timely replacement of this critical infrastructure, so expensive emergency repairs and customer service disruption are avoided as often as possible.

As we recognize Infrastructure Week - a national week of advocacy and education that brings together business, labor, and elected leaders to spotlight the need to revitalize, modernize, and invest in infrastructure – it’s essential to understand and appreciate the critical role infrastructure plays here in the desert. Prioritizing investments in rehabilitation or replacement of aging water and wastewater systems and building new infrastructure ensures the reliability and resiliency of our water now and for future generations.

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For over 50 years, the Arizona Municipal Water Users Association has worked to protect our member cities’ ability to provide assured, safe, and sustainable water supplies to their communities. For more water information, visit www.amwua.org .