Cheryle Stanler 10/20/25
NAPA VALLEY REGISTER | napavalleyregister.com bountuille town Council To: Mayor margie Mohler
GUEST COMMENTARY
fille
Imagine a Day Without Water
Eric Knight
BY JOY ELDREDGE AND PAT COSTELLO back in 2011 increased plant production Kobin makee
capacity and added ozone treatment to
Imagine waking up, turning on the fau- improve finished water quality. Area water RE: water situation on cet to brush your teeth and nothing comes customers are encouraged to mark May out. In Napa, this is just a matter of imag- 2 on their 2026 calendars and attend our Yountrille Cross Rd. ining, but for the 2 million Americans annual Tap Water Day Open House for an who lack access to adequate sanitation and inside look at this state-of-the-art facility. this article brings out how drinking water, it is an unfortunate reality. As our counterparts in the valley and *Safe, clean drinking water plays an essen- across the country will attest, water systems fack of water affects people. tial, life-sustaining role in our lives, yet the are showing their age. Trillions of dollars of facilities and equipment needed to maintain investment are needed to significantly im- its delivery to our homes and businesses are Her's hoping that after "112/25 prove the nation's water infrastructure.
often out of sight, and therefore, out of mind. Despite the challenge, there is good news: this will be solved for us.
With reliable water service, you wake up, people across our country care about water. shower, make your cottee, feed your family, According to the 2025 Value of Water Index, *flush your toilet, wash your laundry, water support for prioritizing reliable water access thank you. your lawn, and simply go about your day. reached a new high, outranking all other key Millions of Americans take water service issues presented to voters. Nearly all Ameri- chergle stauley for granted, but we should all be concerned can voters, 96%, say water investment is crit- about the future of these aging systems. ical for public health, 95% for community Today, marks the 11th annual Imag- well-being, and 85% for a strong economy. ine a Day Without Water. Spearheaded by Prioritizing access to safe and reliable the U.S. Water Alliance's Value of Water water is a belief that crosses all geographic Campaign, this National Day of Action is and political boundaries. a chance to pause, reflect on the way that
water systems impact our lives and com-
munities, and become more aware of the
crucial need for continued investment in
our nations water infrastructure.
What would your day be like if you
couldn't turn on the tap and get clean
drinking water? What would happen to our
restaurants, hospitals, firefighters, farms,
wineries and stores that depend on water?
Water is obviously essential for commu-
nity health, local economies, public safety
and the environment, and a day without cy project finishes in December. water would bring life to a halt, disrupting
public health services, emergency response,
local businesses and the foundational func-
tions of society.
Water infrastructure is the lifeline of our
valley. From humble beginnings with Millik-
en Dam in 1923, the city of Napa now main-
tains an extensive network of water facilities benefit water taste and odor year-round. spanning over 60 square miles throughout
Napa County, including 5,000 acres of wa-
tershed land, two dams, two reservoirs, three
water treatment plants, nine pump stations,
12 storage tanks, and 360 miles of pipe.
A team of 68 dedicated city employees op-
erates and manages this critical infrastruc- ter projects and programs. ture around the clock to ensure high-qual-
ity, reliable water service for 85,000 people
at some of the lowest water rates in the Bay
Area. The city also maintains key pipeline
interties with the cities of American Can-
yon, St. Helena and Calistoga, the Town
of Yountville, and the California Veterans ter today and for generations to come.
Home, enabling them to receive water un-
der contract for emergency purposes or to
supplement their own local sources. experience a day without water. B Our Edward I. Barwick Jamieson Can-
yon Water Treatment Plant processes State Joy Eldredge is the City of Napa Utilities Water Project water imported from the Director.
Sacramento River Delta, some of which is Pat Costello is the City of Napa Water Re- allotted to Calistoga and American Can- sources Analyst. yon. A $40 million improvements project