October 2014, Vol. 69, No. 10
WaterWorks
Water Leaders Go To Capitol Hill, Rally Support For Investing In America
On Sept. 10, water sector leaders from across the country invited Washington to join them in investing the hundreds of billions of dollars required to strengthen the nation’s water infrastructure – helping bolster America’s workforce and sharpen the nation’s competitive edge.
“From agriculture to manufacturing to transportation, America’s economy runs on water,” said Kevin Faulconer, mayor of San Diego. “Whether it’s brewing a San Diego craft beer or providing electricity for millions in New York, our cities depend on reliable water infrastructure – and we need to invest now so that when it comes to our future, the glass is half full.”
Yet just last year, the American Society of Civil Engineers reported that U.S. water and wastewater systems are close to failing, giving the systems a “D” grade.
“It’s estimated that we need to spend $4.8 trillion over the next 20 years in order to fix and maintain the country’s current water systems and preserve existing service levels,” said Houston Mayor Annise Parker. “We need to join hands today and invest for tomorrow.”
The water industry is rising to the challenge. According to new research from the Water Research Foundation and the Water Environment Research Foundation, 30 of the large utilities from around the country will invest $233 billion over the next decade and generate more than half a trillion dollars in U.S. economic output.
Earlier this year, San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee galvanized mayors and cities through a resolution that was adopted at the U.S. Conference of Mayors Annual Meeting in Dallas. The resolution called for a renewed partnership across sectors to accelerate investment in water infrastructure in order to drive job creation, economic growth, and prepare communities to be resilient in the face of climate change.
The 30 surveyed utilities serve 83 million people across the nation—more than 25 percent of the total U.S. population.
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