Identified by VisitPhoenix as “the cosmopolitan heart of Arizona and the soul of the American Southwest,” Phoenix, Arizona, is a longtime partner with Service Line Warranties of America (SLWA). The sixth largest city in the United States by population, Phoenix has plenty of things both residents and visitors alike can enjoy. For this Flashback Friday, we explore some of the fun and exciting things Phoenix has to offer!

Blessed with beautiful weather nearly year-round, Phoenix has many opportunities to get active. From hiking and mountain biking trails to extensive golf and public park facilities, there is a little bit of something for everyone. In 2013 the City launched a unique program designed to promote a healthy lifestyle that can complement the beautiful outdoors. FitPHX is an initiative that drives residents to live a healthier lifestyle by creating an environment where healthy habits, such as being active and eating healthy, are the norm.

One example of this is FitPHX’s partnership with the event Meet Me Downtown. Launched in November of 2014, the event invites people to meet with the group at The Corner at Cityscape. Once you have registered for the free event, you are invited to walk or run the provided course of either 3 or 5 miles. At the conclusion of the event, participants enjoy closing ceremonies where prizes and incentive awards are presented. This event is for the whole family and offers people the chance to socialize with other members of the community while showcasing the beautiful downtown area. 

If walking or running doesn’t pique your interest, there are five championship golf courses and three nine-hole golf courses in the city. These courses feature all of the amenities of any full-service golf course. Providing scenic landscapes, these courses give residents and visitors alike a chance to get out, get active, and have some fun while they do it.

For those who are more interested in arts and culture, there are a variety of venues to explore in the city. From the Phoenix Center for the Arts and the Shemer Art Center to the Pueblo Grande Museum, you can enjoy the arts, both modern and classic. The Symphony Hall at the Phoenix Convention Center is home to the Phoenix Symphony. If your artistic taste takes more of a comic direction, check out the Phoenix Comicon, which encourages you to “Discover Your Inner Geek,” from June 2-5, 2016.

SLWA is proud to have enjoyed a long-standing partnership with Phoenix and encourages you to visit and explore all that the magnificent city has to offer. For more information on visiting Phoenix, visit www.visitphoenix.com.

For more information on how to enroll with with SLWA, please visit www.slwofa.com.

Infrastructure matters. It matters, in big ways and in small, to our country, our economy, our quality of life, our safety, and our communities. Roads, bridges, rails, ports, airports, pipes, the power grid, broadband… Infrastructure matters to companies that manufacture and ship goods. It matters to our daily commutes and our summer vacations. Infrastructure determines if we can drink water straight from our taps and flush our toilets or do our laundry. It brings electricity into our homes. Ultimately, infrastructure matters to every aspect of our daily lives.

That is why Service Line Warranties of America (SLWA) has teamed up with hundreds of other organizations around the country to participate in Infrastructure Week 2016. We’re raising awareness about the need to invest in infrastructure, which is the backbone of our economy, locally and nationally.

A 2016 report found 59,000 structurally deficient bridges across America. Media stories of tainted water, natural gas leaks, and other infrastructure crises have become commonplace. And the failure to invest in infrastructure increases drag on the whole economy, costing America $2 in GDP for every $1 we fail to invest.

Based on a report released in 2013 by the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), the US drinking water and wastewater infrastructure has received a D rating. This rating, based on a number of factors, brings to light the need for education and support of infrastructure initiatives. The ASCE estimated that the capital investment needed for the nation’s wastewater and storm water systems alone in the next 20 years will be $298 billion.

Following recent events in Flint, Michigan, the national drinking water system has become a major focus for citizens nationwide. There are an estimated 240,000 water main breaks per year in the United States that account for millions of gallons of wasted drinkable water. As cities and states work to find a cost-effective assessment program, the estimates for what it will take to stabilize our drinking water system will climb to nearly $3.6 trillion by 2020.

Join SLWA in helping to promote education on infrastructure issues around the country, and learn how to help protect or improve the water and wastewater infrastructure in your community by visiting www.slwofa.com.

This tip comes from David C. of Kansas City, Missouri. He was the winner of our photo contest during Service Line Awareness Week.

“I conserve water with 4 of these 55-gallon rain barrels around my home. This provides 220 gallons of water from just one-half inch of rain as they fill very quickly. The flowers and vegetables grow faster with water from my barrels versus using tap water. I rarely use all 220 gallons before a new rainfall fills them back up for me.”

For ways you can help water conservation efforts by addressing leaking water service lines quickly and hassle-free, visit www.slwofa.com.