The City of Fort Morgan, Colorado kicked off National Drinking Water Week on May 2 with a variety of events designed to raise awareness of the often-overlooked safety record of the city’s and nation’s water delivery systems.
Often Taken for Granted
“National Drinking Water Week is a chance for water utilities and the customers they serve to join together and celebrate the immeasurable value of clean and safe water in our daily lives,” said Jack Hoffbuhr, executive director of the American Water Works Association, as reported in the May 4 issue of Water Week. “North America has some of the best water in the world, and we all share the obligation to keep it that way.”
Fort Morgan events include a Thirsty Lizard Water Conservation classroom program for sixth-graders. The city also held an essay contest and sponsored tours of the water treatment plant for students. The mayor issued a proclamation, and the city published advertisements in the local media to promote the week.
“In relation to National Drinking Water Week, City of Fort Morgan consumers can be confident in the quality, safety, and taste of their tap water,” reported the May 3 Fort Morgan Times. “A resource that is often taken for granted, the city’s water utility is dedicated to providing the highest quality drinking water to its consumers.”
Chlorine Key to Safety
“Methods used to ensure quality, safety, and taste, such as chlorine disinfection, have been cited by the Centers for Disease Control as one of the 20th Century’s 10 most important public health accomplishments,” the Times story added. “U.S. tap water supply is considered the safest in the world.”
“Tap water today is safer to drink than in any other time in history. With Americans consuming more that 1 billion glasses of tap water a day, illness stemming from contaminated tap water is extremely rare in this country,” Ron Shaver, city director of utilities, told the Times.
“The careful balancing of regulations continues to be carried out by water utilities to insure the highest quality tap water is delivered to your home,” the Times added.
Other municipalities across the country also took part in National Drinking Water Week celebrations. In Cambridge, Massachusetts, the Cambridge Water Department presented informational displays in the lobby of its water purification facility, gave evening tours of the facility, and offered a series of activities for kids, including a hay ride, tours of the plant, a water distribution obstacle course, and fix-a-water-leak demonstrations.
James M. Taylor ([email protected]) is managing editor of Environment & Climate News.
