Tap water is the best deal around. Water is essential to our daily lives, yet few people stop to consider its value and importance, especially when compared to other everyday products and household services like electricity, cell phone, cable TV, internet service, trash pick-up, and especially bottled water.
At under a penny per gallon, our water is a true bargain considering the energy and expertise it takes to treat and deliver safe and reliable water to homes and businesses day in and day out.
Our customers get more than just a product for their money. They are getting reliable service that includes ongoing maintenance, sophisticated water quality testing and treatment, and highly trained licensed professionals. Simply put, our customers are getting one of the best deals around.
The Cost of Tap Water
Like many basic services today, the cost of treating and delivering water will increase.
Our customers are all beneficiaries of an aging network of treatment facilities, pump and pressure reducing stations, and pipes. Yet because our water infrastructure is relatively new compared to many communities, we haven’t had to worry about the expense of replacing it. However, in the next few decades, much of that network is going to need upgrading or replacement. We can therefore be sure that our water service will cost more in the future than it does today.
We are arriving at a turning point. The choice we face is either to adopt strategies to renew our water infrastructure, or accept the erosion over time of reliable water service. If we begin to move toward rate structures and financing plans that reflect the full cost of water service, we will avoid rate shock in the in the years ahead.
The Worth of Tap Water
Think of all the ways every single day that you utilize water, from bathing, to cleaning, to doing laundry, to drinking and cooking. Everything we do and all the conveniences in life we take advantage of revolve around a clean and abundant water supply. Without it, our community simply wouldn’t be able to exist in the way it does.
When you consider the critical needs addressed by our water service, tap water will always be a tremendous value. In fact, it will be a bargain. You simply cannot put a price on a service that delivers public health, fire protection, economic development and quality of life.