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In the developed world, water is largely taken for granted. It’s accessible at every tap, treated and filtered for—what may seem to many—our unlimited use. 

When we turn on the faucet and water flows—to take a shower, quench our thirst or cook, clean and wash our hands—we get our basic needs met. Because of this accessibility, it is so easy to forget the complexity of the system needed to collect, monitor, deliver and, eventually, treat this water before sending it back to the natural environment. It is only at the moment when water stops flowing that people recognize the value of water—when it’s not available.

A Common Thread

Water is the thread that weaves together our daily lives. We are united in our dependence on water and the infrastructure that connects, protects and supports it. Ongoing access to clean, safe water keeps our communities healthy, our cities running and our economies growing as well as our way of life.

Water is the cup of coffee we drink each morning. It’s what helps produce much of the food we eat. It’s our most critical defense against a raging fire. It keeps surgical tools and equipment clean. It fuels scientific and medical research. And it’s used in manufacturing in almost every product we use from iPhones, computers and cars. It’s hard to imagine our daily lives without water. Now can you imagine an entire community without water?

Without access to a sustainable water supply, our community would be at risk. Inadequate water and wastewater infrastructure would disrupt all services, impacting our medical facilities, schools, daycares and fire stations, just to mention a few. Nearly every aspect of our lives is connected to water. Without clean water and clean water services, our lives would stop. The high quality way of life we enjoy would not be possible without water and the infrastructure that fuels it.

One-fifth of the US economy would grind to a halt
without a reliable and clean source of water.

The Invisible Infrastructure & Services 

While essential, water infrastructure is largely invisible. Few people realize what it takes to collect, treat and deliver clean and reliable drinking water every day or how wastewater is cleaned so that it can be safely reused or returned to the environment.

Santa Ana’s Water Resources Division is committed to providing safe and reliable drinking water for more than 45,000 customers. We carefully manage the operations of our 20 city-owned wells, 8 pumping stations, 50 water quality monitoring stations, 8 storage reservoirs, 480 miles of water pipelines, as well as our sewer system consisting of sewer lines, manholes, lift stations and trunk sewers. Few people think about the invisible infrastructure and services we provide 24 hours a day, 365 days a year until a water main breaks or they are without water.

Your water and sewer bill ensures that you and your community have reliable access to clean, safe water. You can read about the investments we are making in our infrastructure to ensure you have reliable access to clean, safe water in the article titled “Your Dollars Working For You.”

Do You Value Water?

The value of water is not simply what it allows us to do. The value of water is in recognizing that it is an inseparable part of our families and communities. Ongoing access to clean, safe water is critical to our economy, health and way of life. We are united in our dependence on water and the infrastructure that connects, protects and supports it.

As water supplies have tightened with climate change, we have gradually become aware of the value of water and taken on greater roles in water stewardship and conservation. There’s a lot you can do:

• Use water-efficient appliances and devices inside your home and outdoors,
• Practice water saving habits,
• Protect our groundwater by not littering, picking up after your pets, and disposing chemicals properly.
• Get involved by volunteering to clean up a nearby waterway or beach.

Let us all value and engage with water in new ways that ensure our collective well-being, sustainability and resilience.