Water is a top voter priority. 88% of voters from across the country rank ensuring reliable water as the top concern for our country.

We, the undersigned organizations, affirm the value of water and the importance of investing in America’s water infrastructure. Water is our most precious resource: essential to our lives, our communities, and our economy—and an untapped opportunity to create a better tomorrow.

America’s water and wastewater systems are vital infrastructure, ensuring that millions of people and businesses have access to clean, safe, and reliable water and wastewater services every day across our country. From the moment water is collected from lakes, rivers, or underground sources, it goes through rigorous treatment that removes harmful contaminants, making it safe to drink straight from the tap. From the moment a toilet is flushed, conveyance and treatment infrastructure removes and treats wastewater. Across America, highly trained operators, engineers, scientists, and water managers work around the clock to ensure water services are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

But our water systems face significant challenges: aging and failing infrastructure, systems that weren’t designed to operate in extreme weather conditions, an insufficient workforce, and escalating costs.

Decades of underfunding has put our water infrastructure at risk. The annual national water infrastructure investment gap is $91 billion. Therefore, a water main breaks every two minutes and our nation’s systems become more frail through lack of investment. Just a single day of water service disruption nationally could cause $43.5 billion in economic losses. Our communities, economy, and national security are at risk unless we increase investment in America’s water infrastructure.

Water’s role in a strong America is clear:

1. Water is the foundation for a healthy America. Water is the most basic ingredient for public health. Unless all in America have access to safe, reliable, and affordable water, we will never create a healthy nation.

2. Water grows the economy. The US economy would grow over $220 billion annually by meeting its water infrastructure needs. This would generate 1.3 million new jobs.

3. Water supports jobs. Over 300,000 Americans work at their local water utility. The water sector more broadly supports 1.7 million jobs. Many more of these family sustaining jobs could be created with proper investment.

4. Water security keeps us safe. In addition to supporting safe, reliable daily services, modern and resilient water systems are critical to disaster prevention and recovery.

5. Water is essential to our natural resources. Healthy waterways preserve habitats and help secure America’s natural legacies for future generations.   

The bottom line: the value of water—and the value of investing in America’s water infrastructure—is a shared value. There are only upsides to investing in America’s water infrastructure. Water investments can be a rising tide that lifts everyone. We urge you to join with us in recognizing the value of water and encouraging and taking action to unleash the power of water investments for the benefit of all.