by Rebecca Walker — November 3, 2010—Water pipes and treatment systems in the U.S. are in a sorry state, but nearly two-thirds of voters and just over half of businesses would be willing to pay more for their water to ensure its quality and availability, according to a new study by the ITT Corporation.
ITT surveyed about 1,000 voters and 500 facilities and operations managers at industrial and agricultural businesses in the U.S. this past summer to see what Americans think should be done about the problem with water infrastructure and who they believe should pay for it. The firm released the results as a report, Value of Water Survey: Americans on the U.S. Water Crisis.
ITT is a high-tech engineering and manufacturing firm whose business focuses on water and fluids management, global defense and security, and motion and flow control.
“Hidden underground, the deterioration of our nation’s water pipes and treatment systems has gone largely unnoticed,” said the report. It found 63 percent of voters and 57 percent of businesses would be willing to pay a little more in their monthly utility bills for infrastructure upgrades that would “ensure long-term access to clean water.”
Also, 95 percent of American voters value water over any other service they receive, including heat and electricity. For businesses, water came in second place at 86 percent. Electricity, cited by 88 percent, was the most valued service for firms.
