Imagine turning on the tap, but no water comes out, or rationing flushing the toilet because your plumbing is so old that you’re not even sure if it will work. Imagine spending hundreds of dollars each month on bottled water because you can’t trust that it’s safe to drink the water from the tap. Unfortunately, for 1.57 million Americans, this is the reality of their daily lives without clean, safe access to proper water and sanitation facilities.
As a plumbing and HVAC company, we aim to provide clean, quality service for the communities we help build. We believe that access to safe, reliable water and sanitation facilities is part of that vision. DigDeep, a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving clean water access across the country, recently reported on the water crisis facing our nation. It’s a harrowing look at the realities of water inequality and its effect on individuals and our communities. Here are some of the statistics that highlight the magnitude of this problem.
- The water gap crisis costs the US economy $8.58 billion yearly or $15,800 per household without running water or basic plumbing infrastructure. These costs include gathering water, losing time at work or school, healthcare-related costs, and even premature death.
- In total, the water gap crisis costs the US economy over $1 billion in annual loss to the US Gross Domestic Product (UGP)
- 219 000 waterborne illnesses and 610 premature deaths each year are attributed to water inequality
DigDeep Founder George Shaw says of this report, “Now we are finally able to measure the true magnitude of those impacts in real dollars. We must close the water access gap. As this report shows, we can’t afford not to.”
As a plumbing and HVAC contracting firm, these statistics are sobering. This report hits us particularly hard because we often work on new build projects where we must set up the basic infrastructure to bring water and sanitation to the property. These buildings would lack basic and essential water amenities without our services.
So what can we do to help close the water gap? As an industry leader, we are committed to doing our part. For us, it starts with delivering quality work for each project we undertake. We want to ensure that our work lasts for years and provides water access and proper sanitation for all the building’s users. Our dedication to quality work is about more than our reputation as a company. If we don’t deliver quality workmanship, water safety and access are lost, and that’s not okay.
We don’t take for granted what it means to turn on the tap for access to clean water. You shouldn’t either. If you would like to learn more about DigDeep’s mission and what we can all do to help close the water gap in our nation, visit their website: https://www.digdeep.org
