The American Water Works Association invites water utilities, sections, and other partners to promote the need to “protect the source” by recognizing Source Water Protection Week on September 25 through October 1.
The steady stream of disturbing news about flooding, drought, wildfires, and climate change this summer highlights the urgent need to communicate with the public about the ongoing importance of protecting source water so that water utilities can efficiently deliver healthy and affordable drinking water.
“The best way to ensure we have high-quality drinking water at the tap is to protect our vital water sources,” said AWWA CEO David LaFrance. “If we keep our rivers, lakes, and aquifers free from pollution, it’s easier and less expensive to keep water safe and healthy.”
AWWA’s Source Water Protection Week online toolkit provides free materials to download, including logos, social media graphics and posts, a proclamation template, and videos.
Source Water Protection Week officially launched last year. The idea began during a meeting among AWWA Immediate Past President Chi Ho Sham; Jennifer Heymann of American Water, a past chair of AWWA’s Source Water Protection Committee and a current trustee and vice chair of the Water Resource Sustainability Division; and Rebecca Ohrtman of Water Quality Consulting, L.L.C., a water quality consultant with 15 years of source water protection program experience at the Iowa Department of Natural Resources.
“With a changing climate that is impacting water supplies, it’s more important than ever to protect the water in our rivers, lakes, and underground aquifers,” said Sham. “During Source Water Protection Week, let’s remember that source water protection is a form of conservation, and we can all play some small part in keeping our water clean and safe.”
As part of this year’s Source Water Protection Week, AWWA is hosting two social media campaigns.
- Source water protection is important because …
This social media contest invites participants to engage on Twitter, Instagram, or LinkedIn to fill in the blank in this sentence: “Source water protection is important because…” using the hashtag #ProtecttheSource. - Source water champions
Participants are encouraged to recognize individuals or organizations making a positive difference in source water protection. Please post on Twitter, Instagram, or LinkedIn using the hashtag #SourceWaterChampions.
For More information about Source Water Protection is available on AWWA’s resource page and at the Source Water Collaborative Learning Exchange.
Source: American Water Works Association
