Investing in clean water security generates a tremendous return on investment for the country. Clean water is not a luxury. It is vital to our future economic growth and national security. It is also essential to our nation’s treasured hunting and fishing traditions and the heritage of our communities.

But our water wealth has never faced greater threats. Dams are failing, infrastructure is crumbling, communities are flooding more frequently, and drinking water costs are increasing as our rivers are impacted by pollution and sewage overflows.

Simply put, America cannot be a world leader if we don’t take care of our water. We are less competitive, less healthy, and less safe if we don’t get the basics right.

To learn more about our plan for the administration, read the full agenda here.

When it comes to the dangers of neglecting national water security, the lessons learned from other countries are instructive. For instance, the Chinese government’s failure to secure clean water and healthy rivers is now catching up with them on a massive scale. The widespread pollution and mismanagement of China’s rivers and wetlands has turned lush grasslands into barren deserts and robbed farmers of crops. An estimated 300 million people in China drink contaminated water every day. Failure to shore up crumbling water infrastructure has also resulted in more than 3,000 reservoir collapses in China, killing thousands.

The United States can and must do better. To avoid weakening our country, we must prioritize and invest in national clean water security. President-elect Trump has a unique opportunity to move America forward by investing in our water systems using the latest technology and advancing our country as the global leader in all aspects of clean water security.

At the end of President Trump’s first administration, he demonstrated leadership in establishing a Water Subcabinet to develop a national water strategy to improve management of our nation’s water resources. American Rivers calls on President Trump to reestablish and empower the subcabinet with a directive to develop and implement a blueprint that is focused on the following:

• Ensure America has the cleanest water in the world
• Invest in crumbling infrastructure and build smart
• Make America more safe and secure
• Help energy providers lead long-term

American Rivers stands by as a partner to help the Trump administration accomplish these goals, for the benefit of our economy, heritage, and national security. We look forward to continued dialogue and collaboration to achieve mission success for America’s rivers.

To learn more, read the full agenda here.