Water is an undervalued commodity.

Every day Dallas County uses thousands, perhaps millions of gallons of water. Whether it’s at a restaurant, showering or simply fixing a glass of water, the number of uses are endless.

Human bodies are composed of mostly water. It’s estimated that the human body can, at  most, go one week without water. Though, a few days is probably more realistic.

As residents of the United States of America in the 21st century, running water is commonplace in most regions of the country.

Lately, water has been a frequently discussed issue among county officials. In late 2013, a group of people from Bogue Chitto, a rural community near Orrville, complained that water wells were drying up and beginning to spew sand.

The county commission and West Dallas Water Authority soon began a drive to hook the Bogue Chitto residents up to the west Dallas County water system.

A few months later, Selma began a massive project to replace thousands of water meters on its system.

Now, the South Dallas County Water Authority is getting in on the action by replacing about eight total miles of water pipes to fix leaks and improve efficiency.

The various projects may not immediately show benefits, but the overall effect will maintain or boost the quality of life in the area.

An expansion of the west Dallas County water system may boost revenues for the water authority, but, more importantly, provide dozens of residents with clean, safe and reliable water.

Because the Selma project only replaces water meters, which measure usage, it’s unlikely to see any large effect. As meters age, water usage is less accurate measured, often in favor of customers. So, newer meters would boost revenues for the Selma Water Authority. Perhaps new meters guard against future increases.

However, the South Dallas County Water Authority project will certainly have an effect on customers. The system currently suffers from about a 30 percent loss of water each month. The loss means more water is pumped through the system than is actually used.

Torrey Jones, who runs the management company over the
South Dallas County Water Authority, said leaks could lead to decreased water pressure and a fix could prevent against future rate increases.

Regardless of the benefits, it’s encouraging to see several different entities putting a focus on the nectar of life — water.

Road conditions and the aesthetics of a town are often placed at the forefront of infrastructure conversations, but improving water delivery systems is an equally important way to ensure local residents live normal lives.