MONTGOMERY-Water professionals are “There When You Need It” during Drinking Water Week, and every week. Drinking Water Week offers consumers an opportunity to recognize the hardworking people performing various roles ensuring tap water is “There When You Need It.” Drinking Water Week is May 2-8 in 2021.
The Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH) and partners throughout North America are observing the week by recognizing the vital role tap water plays in daily life, the infrastructure that is required to carry it to and from homes and businesses, and the important work of water professionals “behind the scenes.”
Whether it is an engineer designing a capital project, an operator ensuring the safety and quality of drinking water, or a member of a pipe crew maintaining the infrastructure in our community, water professionals work around the clock to ensure tap water is there when you need it.
“The coronavirus pandemic continues to make evident the hard work performed by the people in the water sector,” said American Water Works Association (AWWA) CEO David LaFrance. “The work they are performing throughout the pandemic, often sacrificing time with their family, is nothing short of heroic. I am proud to be associated with them.”
The lights of both the RSA Tower buildings in Mobile and Montgomery will be illuminated in blue on May 8 in celebration and recognition of the many contributions of water treatment employees. In addition, the ADPH Oral Health Office is partnering with the city of Troy to offer continuing education hours to all Alabama water treatment plant employees at a conference on May 13. The Alabama Department of Environmental Management has approved 7 continuing education hours, and all Centers for Disease Control and Prevention COVID-19 protocol will be followed for the conference.
Dr. Tommy Johnson, director of the ADPH Oral Health Office, said, “We must continue to protect our drinking water, which plays a critical role in our daily lives. The conference, hosted by the city of Troy, is an opportunity for us to announce grant funding and recognize the continued dedication of each public water system employee to offer safe drinking water to all Alabama residents.”
To commemorate the week, water utilities, water organizations, government entities, environmental advocates, schools and others throughout North America and beyond are encouraging consumers to learn more about the importance of water and water infrastructure, especially in times of crisis.
About Drinking Water Week
For several decades, AWWA and its members have celebrated Drinking Water Week, a unique opportunity for both water professionals and the communities they serve to join in recognizing the vital role water plays in daily lives. Free materials for download and additional information about Drinking Water Week are available on the Drinking Water Week webpage, https://www.awwa.org/Events-
Media Release/Summer Macias/ALABAMA DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH
