Karen Weaver's Fight for Clean Water November 2017 | Page 19

WORLDWIDE WATER CRISIS
Not only must they use water for bathing and sanitation, but they must share the
streams with wildlife. Young children are the first to get sick. Every day, 6,000
children die of water-related diseases.
Water infrastructure is the system that delivers water to our homes and
businesses. Infrastructure filters and treats our water. It also carries sewage and
industrial waste away. Water infrastructure like dams and levees help to manage
the water cycle by preventing flooding.
Water infrastructure includes miles and miles of pipes. Most of this water
infrastructure lies underneath our cities, towns and villages, and is invisible to
us.
Infrastructure includes dams, treatment plants, pump stations, wells, surface-
water intakes, reservoirs, levees, storage tanks, and aqueducts.
Most infrastructure is built to last for 50 years or more. Infrastructure can also
provide many jobs. Planning and building infrastructure is very expensive, and
therefore, it is a major investment to our community.
Failure to maintain our water infrastructure leads to water system failures,
polluted waterways and boil water advisories.
Americans use over 27 million gallons per day around the house to prepare food,
wash clothes, and flush toilets. However, most water is used for agricultural and
industrial needs.
CONT’D