When people speak of water infrastructure, they are usually speaking of structures that were built to collect, channel, store and distribute drinking water. Beyond that, because the use of potable water creates waste, there must be other systems meant to treat and dispose of that waste without causing pollution.
From this, it can be seen that water infrastructure is critically important to human beings because we need water to live. We have a role to play in preserving the integrity of these systems and as far as possible and we should all pay attention to it because we would all be affected if something happened to our water supply.
Why water infrastructure needs to work
Think of how many things you need water for. You need water to cook. You need water to see to your personal hygiene needs. You need water to drink. The average person can go weeks without food, but would only survive for a few days without clean drinking water.
And we are not the only ones that need water. Think of how much water goes into manufacturing products you use every day, if not directly then indirectly because water is needed to cool machinery.
At the other end of the scale, there needs to be a system managing the run-off from heavy rains and another to safely treat and process the wastewater that comes from our everyday activities
What would happen if these Fluid Services did not work, is that our health and the quality of our daily lives would be severely compromised. Imagine what your community would look like if water did not drain off after a storm?
What happens when water infrastructure does not work
That is only one scenario. If there were no systems to safely collect water from our ecosystem and then purify it so that it was fit for human consumption, rates of preventable waterborne disease would skyrocket.
If there was no infrastructure, we would be unable to collect enough water for everyone’s needs. This means people would not be able to pay attention to basic things, like hygiene, creating fertile grounds for even more disease. Worse, the constant lack of water could become a source of conflict between people competing for the same limited water resources.
Improper drainage systems are the cause of all kinds of environmental degradation and structural damage. One only has to turn on a TV news program to see the damage caused to a community flooded by water. The images of the loss of homes and lives are stark and difficult to forget.
Why you are important for proper water infrastructure
People often think that as individuals, they can’t do much to affect the world. Small actions compounded and repeated over time, have the ability to change many things.
Firstly, recognize that you have a voice. Much of the water infrastructure around the world is aging and in need of upgrades and reconsideration to make them more environmentally sound. You can lobby your government to make the changes that are necessary. You can also vote for governments that support progressive water infrastructure policies.
You can also put less stress on the system, by reducing your demand for water. There are a variety of ways to do this, for example, use more efficient plumbing, fixing leaks, and taking shorter showers These are only a few.
Similarly, you should not put additional stress on the Surface Wastewater Aerator and wastewater system by disposing of things that are not supposed to be thrown in there. This leads to clogs and damage to infrastructure that ends up costing millions to repair. If you regularly handle toxins as an individual or business owner, you have a responsibility to dispose of them in a way that does not leave the wastewater system compromised. Those same toxins will end up back in the potable drinking water supply.
Finally, don’t pollute rivers. Rivers are one of the primary sources of drinking water. Also, air pollutants end up as dissolved chemical compounds in our rain, another primary supply of our drinking water. Try to withdraw support from manufacturers that are known, air polluters.
As you can see, our water infrastructure is important. It brings us our water. It takes waste away. It treats our water so that it is safe to drink. It treats waste so it doesn’t pollute our environment. It also prevents excess water from damaging our environment and homes. You have a clear role in preserving this system that makes our life possible. There are many actions you can take. Make sure that you do.