DLZ joins community leaders, businesses, and advocacy organizations participating in Imagine a Day Without Water, in an effort to educate the public about the water infrastructure crisis currently facing the United States. Organized by the Value of Water Coalition, hundreds of organizations across the country will partake in events today aimed at raising awareness about the crucial need for investment to ensure that no community in America is left without water and the infrastructure that brings it to and from homes and businesses.
In 2017, America’s Infrastructure grade is a D+. The cost of upgrading water infrastructure is entirely on the shoulder of local communities, regardless of their ability or willingness to fund improvements. As a result, we see that many communities are only reacting to the problem rather than proactively planning investment, leaving their residents to face the consequences of substandard water infrastructure. Everyone witnessed the recent tragedy in Flint, Michigan where thousands of residents were affected by tainted water. Flint is one example, but they are not the only community making national news about inadequacy of a local water system. Millions of people live in regions where infrastructure has been neglected and are left to deal with the consequences.
DLZ is working side by side with public entities and the communities to promote appropriate level of investments to our aging water infrastructure and find cost effective solutions that will sustain dependable and safe drinking water systems for future generations. Furthermore, many people in other countries do not have safe drinking water systems at all. DLZ supports efforts of Engineers Without Border, an organization that empowers communities to meet their basic human needs and equips leaders to solve the world’s most pressing challenges through engineering projects. Many of our employees participate in that work and we are immensely proud of them. Our employees ongoing efforts with Engineers Without Borders include building sanitary systems in El Salvador, improving drainage issues, and planning to provide a water system to a school in Guatemala.
We are also proud to:
- Support water education programs for communities we live and work in
- Assist communities with improving their water quality by designing treatment and collection systems that utilize new technology and design concepts
- Champion protection of ecosystems for future generations
There is no doubt about it – a day without water is a crisis. That is why we are joining with hundreds of groups across the country for Imagine a Day Without Water. No community can thrive without water and every person deserves a safe, reliable, accessible water system. Let’s demand better, and make sure no American ever has to imagine a day without water again.