Mazzei Injector Co. Vice President Jim Lauria spoke at the Water 2.0: Digital Transformation for the Water Industry Conference in San Diego. In his speech, Lauria urged the audience to join the global network of advocates for the water industry.
“Support for water infrastructure starts and ends with funding,” said Lauria. “Water is a money issue. Water is a political issue. Funding for water projects is the will of the people.”
According to Lauria, with cost estimates ranging from $2.5 to $4 trillion for water and wastewater system upgrades over the next 20 years, politicians and taxpayers will require increasing political will to fund necessary maintenance and improvements.
“It’s up to water experts to float water to the top of taxpayers’ priorities,” Lauria said. “We need to show them how important water is. We need to continually emphasize that our water infrastructure is a critical, national priority.”
The required trillions of dollars are likely to fund water systems that reflect a greater understanding of complex networks. Broken into pieces to reduce risk and serve growing communities through decentralized facilities, the next generation of water and wastewater treatment plants will balance centralized and decentralized elements. Wastewater will be handled not as a disposal challenge, but as a resource rich in nutrients, energy and re-useable water.
Lauria also led his audience through a review of his tactics for listening to a wide range of customers and stakeholders, sharing information throughout extensive networks, and fine-tuning strategies and messages based on what one learns from the marketplace. Lauria emphasized the importance of everyone in the water industry steping up and educating the public on water.
Source: Mazzei Injector Co. LLC
