When it comes to addressing the nation’s water infrastructure crisis, cities and towns are ground zero. They account for 80% or more of spending on drinking water, stormwater and wastewater nationwide, as federal and state support for these vital public services have dwindled over the last thirty years. The news is filled with concerning estimates that it will take billions, or trillions, to address municipal water resource needs going forward.
But it may be that these gloomy estimates are overblown.
Green and distributed infrastructure options are having their moment, and municipal leaders are taking notice. Permeable pavements capture and filter stormwater; recycling technology is turning buildings into treatment facilities; water-efficient appliances, landscaping and water smart tech tools are stretching water supply far beyond projections.
By NLC Staf on May 29, 2018