COVID-19 and our clean drinking water

The coronavirus pandemic is a stark reminder of how interconnected we are as a people, despite geographic or cultural boundaries. It's an example of how seriously we must take the global challenges that devastate lives and threaten economies.

We're fortunate to live in a part of the world that has consistent access to clean drinking water and, due to the work of the employees of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District, that access to clean water won't change because of this pandemic.

Even though there's no evidence that COVID-19 is transmitted through drinking water or contact with sewage, our treatment process kills microbes like COVID-19 every day. We're constantly testing our water to ensure that it's up to rigorous standards set forth by federal, state and local governments.

But not all people affected by this pandemic across the globe are as fortunate as we are. According to the United Nations, more than two billion people live without access to safe water.

We have a responsibility to protect and conserve the world's water supply every day of the year, especially as climate change and rising temperatures continue to take their toll. We can't wait to take big steps to ensure clean, safe and healthy waterways.

At the MWRD, we look for opportunities to recycle discarded water to reduce our water usage. No, there's no container in the alley for used water, but incorporating discarded water into non-potable purposes has a tremendous impact on the sustainability of our waterways.

Reusing water is a completely natural process, found in the water cycle: precipitation becomes groundwater in our lakes and streams and groundwater evaporates back into the atmosphere to become precipitation again.

As we face this pandemic together, let's think of our brothers and sisters across the globe without consistent access to clean water and consider ways to conserve our water.

Mariyana Spyropoulos, Commissioner

Metropolitan Water Reclamation District