Pittsburgh, PA — This week, The Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority joins elected officials, water utilities, community leaders, educators, and businesses from across the country as part of the seventh annual Imagine a Day Without Water, a nationwide day of education and advocacy about the value of water.

Led by the Value of Water Campaign, over 1,200 organizations across the country will join Imagine a Day Without Water on October 21, 2021, to raise awareness about the role of water infrastructure in our lives and the importance of investment. The focus of this year’s event is to invite people to learn more about where our water comes from and where our wastewater goes.

This year, for Imagine a Day Without Water, we are hosting an essay and drawing contest in partnership with the Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy. We are asking others to join the movement by submitting a short essay about what water means to you, why it’s so vital, and what a world without water would be like for a day. The younger population is encouraged to get involved as well by drawing a picture that best represents the importance of water to them, or picking a water-themed coloring page from the educational resources page on our website. More information about the contests and how to participate can be found at pgh2o.com/value-water.

The Pittsburgh community joins Imagine a Day Without Water to draw attention to all we are doing to modernize our aging infrastructure, protect water quality and the environment, and be good stewards of our water system for future generations. PWSA is continually investing in critical water infrastructure improvements to strengthen our water system, add needed redundancy, and ensure an uninterrupted supply of quality water. Over the next five years, PWSA will invest nearly $300 million in a series of large-scale water improvement projects known as the Water Reliability Plan. This plan is Pittsburgh’s blueprint for high-quality water infrastructure; it will modernize our water distribution system and provide customers with more secure and reliable water services.

“From our rivers, to rainstorms, and the water that flows from our faucets and leaves homes in pipes, we cannot take water for granted,” said Will Pickering, CEO of the Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority. “The investments we are making today in our water, sewer, and stormwater infrastructure will ensure a water-safe future for Pittsburgh residents for years to come. We invite our neighbors to participate in this day of awareness and share your vision for the importance of water.”

"We're grateful to the Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority for being part of this year's Imagine a Day Without Water," said Oluwole (OJ) McFoy, Board Chair of the US Water Alliance. “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.”