Every day, millions of Americans turn on their faucets and receive safe, reliable drinking water. However, only a few realize just how much goes into the safe drinking water they are accustomed to. According to the 2023 U.N. World Water Development Report, around two billion people, or one in every four people on earth, do not have access to safe drinking water. Additionally, due to increased flooding and other natural disasters, around 3.5 billion people also live under water stress, where the demand for clean drinking water exceeds the available amount. In the United States, we celebrate National Water Quality Month each August. This year is also a special year for water quality as it marks the 50th Anniversary of the Safe Drinking Water Act being signed into law. In this Iron Strong Blog, we will discuss the history of the Safe Drinking Water Act and how Ductile iron pipe (DI pipe) has played an integral part in improving drinking water quality in the United States.
Did you know that fewer than 1 in 5 professionals in the water industry are women? 1 In all Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) fields, women only account for 26% of the total representation.2 As a female, I entered the water and wastewater industry with a degree in Mechanical Engineering from Tennessee Tech University. With the data points listed above, it would be safe to assume my college classes were primarily male-filled, and in my current role as a sales representative for McWane Ductile, many offices I visit follow that trend as well. Being a woman of STEM in the water industry, these statistics did not necessarily surprise me. However, in my short time in the business, I've noticed that the women representing water and wastewater are strong role models who continue empowering other women to join and become active industry members. This inspired me to speak to three women who stand out as leaders in waterworks and gather insight into their various roles and experiences in bringing clean water to their communities.
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