Water Environment Federation Launches New, Improved Web site for the Water Is Life, and Infrastructure Makes It Happen™ Public Education Program

Alexandria, Va. – The Water Environment Federation (WEF) announces the launch of a new and improved Web site for Water Is Life, and Infrastructure Makes It Happen™ (www.WaterIsLife.net), a national public education program that builds awareness about the value of water and wastewater infrastructure and the importance of investing in its long-term stability.

First launched in 2005, the program was designed to provide the necessary tools and resources for public utilities and local municipalities to educate their communities about this largely “invisible” issue. With support from a National Advisory Committee - a coalition of like-minded water organizations and corporations - WEF developed the Web site as well as a full suite of outreach materials including sample presentations, bill stuffers, brochures, print ads, fact sheets, and talking points.

“Making the invisible, visible is a challenge that WEF will meet with new and improved resources for 2008,” explains WEF’s Executive Director Bill Bertera.  “Water Is Life, and Infrastructure Makes It Happen offers an array of educational pieces that can be easily personalized to meet local utility needs.  The new Web site invests in member’s access to easy-to-use, inexpensive multi-media tools that builds grassroots support for water and wastewater infrastructure.” 

Improvements to the Web site include:

• Better visual and structural navigation
• “The Infrastructure Beneath Your Feet” – an illustration of water and wastewater infrastructure
• Public Service Announcements
• Public Opinion Survey and Implementation Guide
• News Center, Media Guide and Photo Bank
• “Sign up for Updates” Feature

To further support this effort, WEF has also secured a commitment from the National Association of Clean Water Agencies (NACWA) to mobilize utility participation by combining resources and distribution networks. “NACWA is proud to join WEF in this important initiative to educate the public about the true cost of clean water and about why a federal recommitment to share in the cost of providing clean and safe water for all Americans is absolutely necessary,” said NACWA’s Executive Director Ken Kirk. “The three to five billion dollar funding gap is simply not going to go away by itself, and local communities will need federal assistance in repairing, upgrading, and expanding their critical clean water infrastructure.”

Under the agreement, volunteer leaders from both organizations will work together to identify and develop needed materials that add to the current suite of multi-media and targeted message tools. 

For more information about Water Is Life, and Infrastructure Makes It Happen™, please visit www.WaterIsLife.net or contact Lorraine Loken at lloken@wef.org.