An Independence Day Salute To Our American Heroes

By Jim Lauria

Last month I tipped my hat to America’s rural water districts in the blog post Rural Water Systems: Dancing Backwards and in High Heels. As Americans prepare for Independence Day, it’s a perfect time to salute some truly unsung American heroes: the people who operate our nation’s drinking water and wastewater treatment plants.

“They’re health professionals,” says Kelly Matheson, operations director of the Oklahoma Rural Water Association. “They’re just like our firemen and policemen, but they just don’t get the recognition for what they do. They don’t get a pat on the back. Most of the time, people are just yelling at them if they don’t have water.”