The Oklahoma City Water Utilities Trust is joining over a thousand water utility organizations across the country in recognizing Imagine a Day Without Water on Thursday, October 21, 2021. The initiative is part of a nationwide day of education and advocacy about the value of safe drinking water in our communities. The focus of this year’s event is to invite people to learn more about where water comes from and where wastewater goes.
The Oklahoma City Water Utilities Trust provides more than 1.4 million residents in Central Oklahoma with clean, fresh drinking water, and is the largest supplier of drinking water in the state. The City’s water utility enjoys a rich and storied history, dating back to Oklahoma City’s founding in 1889, when the City’s water supply came by way of a single well.
Throughout the years, City leaders have worked diligently to establish a robust and sustainable water supply that spans more than 250 miles across Oklahoma. The system comprises seven reservoirs, including Lake Hefner, Lake Stanley Draper, and Lake Overholser, which was the City’s first water reservoir, completed in 1918.
The Trust maintains more than 7,000 miles of water and wastewater pipelines, including the 100-mile Atoka pipeline, and treats and delivers an average of 100 million gallons of quality water per day at two water treatment plants. Oklahoma City promotes the value of water each and every day through an award-winning Water Conservation program.
The Trust is recognizing Imagine a Day Without Water to draw attention to the importance of our local water resources. Over the next ten years, the Trust is investing more than three billion dollars in infrastructure improvements to strengthen system resiliency and secure water supply for future generations.
“Water and wastewater infrastructure are essential for our thriving community,“ said Oklahoma City Utilities Director Chris Browning. “Our employees work hard every day to provide high quality, reliable water service for our customers, and to ensure our water keeps flowing for generations to come.”
Imagine a Day Without Water asks Americans to think about what it would mean to go without water for a day. According to the 2021 Value of Water Index, 83 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.
“Each day, every household and business in Oklahoma relies on fresh, clean drinking water,” said Browning. “From brushing your teeth to that morning cup of coffee, for our fire departments, hospitals and local restaurants and businesses, clean water keeps our lives, and our economies, running.”
Join the Oklahoma City Water Utilities Trust on the @cityofokc Twitter account Thursday, October 21 for more facts and information about the City’s water system. Learn more at imagineadaywithoutwater.org and follow the conversation on social media at #ValueWater.
Imagine a Day Without Water is led by the Value of Water Campaign, whose mission is to raise awareness about the role of water infrastructure in our lives and the importance of ongoing infrastructure investment. The campaign is spearheaded by the US Water Alliance.