Water Experts from the Intermountain Section AWWA will be leading community discussions using the documentary Liquid Assets: The Story of Our Water Infrastructure.  This documentary tells the story of essential infrastructure systems: drinking water, wastewater, and stormwater. Exploring the history, engineering challenges, and political and economic realities, the documentary provides an understanding of the hidden assets that support every aspect of American life.
Liquid Assets: The Story of Our Water Infrastructure raises timely issues that are relevant to cities and towns across the United States. Water infrastructure plays a critical role in protecting public health, promoting economic prosperity, and ensuring a good quality of life. Though largely out of sight and out of mind, many of these complex systems are aging, neglected, and in need of immediate national and local attention.
Because many people share the same watershed, communities will need to work across boundaries to ensure safe and effective water systems now and into the future. In community discussions, people can share ideas, communicate local issues, build lasting relationships, and plan for the future.
****If you would like to host a Brown Bag Event at your organization please contact Shazelle Terry at (801) 446-2004 or shazellet@jvwcd.org****

Themes of the Documentary

• Drinking Water, Wastewater, and Stormwater
• Public Health, Public Safety
• Complexity of Systems
• Watershed Protection
• 21st- Century Solutions
• The Funding Challenge

 

Format of the Brownbag Events

The 16-minute overview will be shown as part of a special community meeting on water infrastructure, or as part of a regularly scheduled meeting of environmental, professional, and civic organizations.
The audience members will be asked about their infrastructure and water quality concerns. The discussion questions will be shared upfront with the audience.  The audience will then be asked to consider these as they watch the video.

 

Discussion Questions

• What issues in the documentary are similar to the issues in your community?
• What are the public health or safety issues that can affect your community as a result of problems with the water infrastructure?
• Has your local economy been affected by shortfalls in your water infrastructure?
• Who is responsible for sustaining your community’s water resources?  What questions would you like to ask them?
• What is your local watershed? What steps are being taken to protect it? What other communities share this watershed?
• Have the local water systems been inspected?
• When will the water systems in your community need to be replaced?
• Does your community have a plan to rehabilitate and repair its water infrastructure?
• How will your community pay for infrastructure improvements?
• Federal, state, local governments?
• Private water companies?
• Increases in rates?
• Local tax allocations?
• Other options?
•  What do you believe is the most pressing water issue in your community?
• What can be done on the local level to solve the community challenges?
• What individuals and groups need to come together to achieve results?
• What is the first step in bringing these groups together?
• How can communities in the same watershed share their ideas