Clean drinking water isn't just readily available and accessible to everyone. It takes a lot of hard work and dedication from water professionals across the country to ensure safe and clean drinking water gets where it's needed.
This week we're celebrating National Drinking Water Week, May 7-13, with the American Water Works Association as we recognize and honor the critical work water professionals accomplish around the clock to deliver quality tap water while bolstering resilience for water in the future.
"Access to clean, safe drinking water is vital to our daily health, hygiene and hydration," David LaFrance, American Water Works Association CEO, said in a statement. "Professionals in the water sector work tirelessly to ensure we have affordable access to the high-quality water we need to strengthen our everyday life and broader communities today and in the future."
Without the help of these water professionals, many communities across the country would face significant challenges accessing safe and clean drinking water.
The Brazos River Authority is responsible for providing water to municipalities, industry, agriculture, and mining within the Brazos basin. However, besides water supply, the BRA ensures the continued high quality of the water within the basin by providing services such as potable water treatment, wastewater treatment, and continuous monitoring for specific contaminates through the Texas Clean Rivers Program.
The BRA owns and operates the East Williamson County Regional Water System adjacent to Lake Granger, which serves the city of Taylor, Jonah Water Special Utility District, and other customers in Williamson County. The BRA also contracts to operate the Sandy Creek Water Treatment Plant, providing drinking water to the city of Leander.
Protecting our water sources is ongoing work and a responsibility we cannot afford to neglect.
We can all be a part of safeguarding this precious resource for future generations by making some really simple changes in daily tasks. Here are some ideas:
• When using fertilizers on lawns and gardens, follow the manufacturer's instructions and avoid using too much. In addition to potentially damaging your turf or plants, excess fertilizers can wash into our storm drains after a heavy rain. Water that enters these drains eventually ends up in a nearby stream, river or lake, which is a source of drinking water. Save yourself money while helping to safeguard our drinking water by using the correct amount of fertilizer.
• Be careful as well when putting pesticides on lawns and elsewhere outdoors. Just like with fertilizer, excess pesticides can wash into our streams and reservoirs through storm drains and then into our drinking water.
• How about a good spring cleaning of old, unwanted chemicals you've been storing? Throwing them away is not the answer. They will end up in a landfill, where they could seep into our groundwater supply. Pouring them down the drain is worse. Instead, why not gather them and drop them off at your nearest hazardous household waste collection center?
• Don't flush old, unwanted medicine! While water treatment plants can remove some chemicals, at this time, wastewater systems are not designed to remove pharmaceuticals. If you have old medicine, take it to one of the regularly scheduled drug takeback events held nationwide.
• If you use a septic system, make sure it is properly installed and regularly maintained. Septic systems must also be placed a safe distance from water bodies, wells and other areas where they could seep into water supply.
Today and every day, remember to celebrate our access to clean water!