New Report from "Green For All" Shows the Broad Economic and Environmental Benefits of Upgrading America's Water Systems

Infrastructure that Mimics Nature

Want to create 1.9 million American jobs and add $265 billion to the economy? Upgrade water and wastewater infrastructure. That’s the message of a new report from Green For All, in partnership with American Rivers,  the Economic Policy Institute, and the Pacific Institute. 

The report looks at an investment of $US188.4 billion in water infrastructure – the amount the US Environmental Protection Agency indicates would be required to manage rainwater/stormwater and preserve water quality.  American Rivers’ interest in the topic was the Green Infrastructure aspect.

“Cleaning our environment and putting people to work has always been the value proposition of the green economy,” said Phaedra Ellis-Lamkins, CEO of Green For All. “This report demonstrates that there’s a massive opportunity to ensure clean water, improve the economy, and put people – particularly low-income workers –back to work.” Her organization is dedicated to building an inclusive green economy strong enough to lift people out of poverty.

The report makes the case that maximizing the use of green infrastructure - infrastructure that mimics natural solutions - is essential to meet the rainwater management needs of communities while also providing a number of additional co-benefits.

TO LEARN MORE: To download a copy of the report, click on Water Works: Rebuilding Infrastructure, Creating Jobs, Greening the Environment

The report was released October 4 at the Clean Water America Alliance's Urban Waters SustainabilityLeadership Conference in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.