WALNUT CREEK, Calif., Oct. 19, 2023 — Leading environmental engineering and construction services firm Brown and Caldwell today joined elected officials, water utilities, community leaders, educators, and businesses to acknowledge the ninth annual Imagine a Day Without Water, a nationwide day of education and advocacy about the value of water.
Led by the US Water Alliance’s Value of Water Campaign, over a thousand organizations across the country will join Imagine a Day Without Water to raise awareness about the role of water in our lives and the importance of investing in water and the people behind these systems. This year’s event will highlight the significance of water in daily life and inspire curiosity about the people, infrastructure, and funding that keep the water running in our communities.
Recognizing that investment in community wastewater and drinking water systems is essential to national health, safety, and economic prosperity, Brown and Caldwell employees took to social media to discuss their passion for the sustainable management of the most precious resource. Like-minded engineers, scientists, and construction professionals rallied for the event to create videos, snap photos, and share thoughts on what water means to them using the hashtag #ValueWater.
“Our purpose is to unlock the potential of water and a healthy environment to create thriving communities. Imagine a Day Without Water is a great platform for our 1,900+ employee-owners to celebrate our collective passion for the preservation of safe, accessible, and sustainable community water supplies, especially in the face of a changing climate.”
Brown and Caldwell Chief Technical Officer Wendy Broley
“We’re grateful to Brown and Caldwell for being a part of Imagine a Day Without Water. Raising awareness about the state of water infrastructure is a crucial step to ensuring water systems keep flowing for generations to come. Even though we cannot see the pipes and sewers beneath our feet, water cannot be taken for granted. High-quality water service is a critical part of every thriving community. Today, we encourage everyone to take a minute to learn more about their local water system, where their drinking water comes from, and where their wastewater goes.”
Oluwole (OJ) McFoy, Board Chair of the US Water Alliance and General Manager of the Buffalo Sewer Authority
According to the 2023 Value of Water Index, 85 percent of Americans said ensuring a stable supply of water should be a top federal priority. They also ranked addressing water contamination and investing in infrastructure as top priorities.
Imagine a Day Without Water was originally envisioned as an advocacy and education day that asked Americans to think about what it would mean to go without water for a day. Yet there already are 2 million Americans living without access to clean water and sanitation services, and with the stress of climate change and the challenges of maintaining water infrastructure that is a century old in some places, there is growing concern about the stability of our current and future water systems.
Black, indigenous, and communities of color, as well as low-income communities, are the most likely to experience a lack of access to clean drinking water or sanitation in their homes. When this happens, people can’t bathe children, prepare meals, wash clothes, or fill a glass with cold, clean drinking water from the tap.
As Imagine a Day Without Water grows, now is the time to voice the importance of water infrastructure and the workforce that supports it—emphasizing the need for partnership at all levels to promote water infrastructure funding.
About Brown and Caldwell
Headquartered in Walnut Creek, California, Brown and Caldwell is a full-service environmental engineering and construction services firm with 52 offices and over 1,900 professionals across North America and the Pacific. For more than 75 years, our creative solutions have helped municipalities, private industry, and government agencies successfully overcome their most challenging water and environmental obstacles. As an employee-owned company, Brown and Caldwell is passionate about exceeding our clients’ expectations and making a difference for our employees, our communities, and our environment. For more information, visit www.brownandcaldwell.com
About Value of Water Campaign
Imagine a Day Without Water began in 2015 as a project of The Value of Water Campaign.
The Value of Water Campaign educates and inspires the nation about how water is essential, invaluable, and in need of investment. Spearheaded by top leaders in the water industry, the Value of Water Campaign is building public and political will for investment in America’s water infrastructure.