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I am sure contracts are coming our way..
we bust thru that 200ma easily this week imo
Buy opportunity is here for today!!!!!
Won't be much longer in my opinion!!!!
Soon as puro,comes out with some huge updates on all their projects coming to fruition.blue sky
time for their lil shake before too long..good chance to pick up some before the company starts blasting...
NEW YORK, September 12, 2008 (Water Tech) — Recent tests of drinking water supplies, prompted by an Associated Press (AP) report in March that 41 million Americans receive drinking water tainted by trace levels of pharmaceuticals, reveal that the number of Americans affected by meds-in-water is at least 46 million, according to a September 10 AP report.
The original AP stories prompted federal and local legislative hearings, brought about calls for mandatory testing and disclosure, and led officials in at least 27 additional metropolitan areas to analyze their drinking water, the AP reported. Positive tests were reported in 17 areas, including Reno, NV; Savannah, GA; Colorado Springs, CO; and Huntsville, AL. Results are pending in three other areas.
The most recent test results, added to data disclosed by communities and water utilities for the March AP report, produce the new total of Americans known to be exposed to drinking water that contains trace levels of pharmaceutical compounds.
Boston, Phoenix and Seattle found no detections of pharmaceuticals in their drinking water supplies.
Cities that reported finding pharmaceuticals in their supplies detected substances similar to those found in other cities’ supplies and reported on in March. One such substance is the anti-convulsant carbamazepine.
According to AP, the overwhelming majority of US cities have not tested drinking water for pharmaceuticals. One of them, New York City, maintains that testing “is not warranted at this time.”
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GM soldier and all,been pretty good been waiting for this full trading week..
Triple would work for me.And a homerun would be super.And a Grandslam would be a Mega-Mover for the PURO TEAM.....
Now in Asia
By Sahana Singh*
Singapore. 29 Aug: At an Expert Consultation Meeting held here last week, water and sanitation experts, government officials, funding agencies and civil society representatives from across Asia and outside were unanimous on the view that Asia’s water delivery and sanitation problems should be tackled with the same urgency as disaster relief.
“People will not wait five to ten years for water. They will take it now, illegally if necessary. Time is of the essence,” said K.E.Seetharam, Principal Water and Urban Development Specialist at Asian Development Bank (ADB).
A team of water experts who are working around the clock to prepare a forward-looking document called Asian Water and Development Outlook (AWDO) which is funded by the ADB, met here in Singapore for 3 days of consultations. The document will act as a guide for policy makers of the region.
The AWDO, is expected to be released just prior to the first Asia Pacific Water Summit (APWS) to be held in Japan from 3-4 December this year. The document will articulate the overall directions for water and sanitation activities needed to be pursued in an integrated manner by national leaders.
Great strides have been made by India and Bangladesh in moving away from open-defecation, thanks to concerted efforts by donors, local governments and NGOs. “It is important for governments to act now, when the momentum is there – when a small effort can
produce great results,” argues Arthur McIntosh, a former senior water expert at the ADB.
However, Asit Biswas, leader of the team drafting the AWDO and winner of Stockholm Water Prize in 2006 warned against a one-solution-fits-all approach. “The problems are different across Asia and even within a country itself,” he said. “We have to look for appropriate solutions.”
“It should also be understood that water is not just a resource but a service,” added Wouter Arriens, Lead Water Resources Specialist at ADB.
Looking forward to the December Summit, Ravi Narayanan, Vice-Chair of the Governing Council of Asia Pacific Water Forum (APWF) asserts that the report prepared by the water experts should be “a dynamic document, not something that will be launched and then stashed away somewhere to be forgotten.”
The forum is a recently-established network which seeks to contribute to sustainable water management in order to achieve the targets of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) in Asia and the Pacific.
In recent years, water and sanitation have been perceived as important constituents of human development. When access to water and sanitation improves, virtually everything follows – health, education and economic advancement.
It has also been well-recognised that poor governance is the root cause of all problems in developing countries. According to Biswas, governance has been but empty rhetoric in most of Asia with only a few islands of excellence such as Singapore.
“A case in point is urban India where poor quality of water supplied intermittently has been accepted as a way of life,” said Biswas, who believes that contrary to media reports of an Asian water crisis, the real crisis is one of management of water resources, not a lack of it.
Thus he argues, that a lack of political will has particularly hampered the cause of water and sanitation, not so much an absence of financing or physical resources. The December Summit in Japan will seek to whip up this political will among leaders in the region.
“Our key message is that the water problems of the region are solvable,” said Biswas.
Indeed, there is no shortage of success stories and champions to illustrate this - from the community-driven toilet construction programme in Pune, India to the private-sector led improvement of water supplies by Manila Water Company in the Philippines.
“The role of women as important managers of water has been well-appreciated at the community level,” points out Narayanan, who earlier helmed UK-based NGO Water Aid. Women are also spearheading the movement for sanitation in many places in Asia. “It has been documented that the availability of separate toilets for girls in many rural and peri-urban schools is dramatically lowering their drop-out rate,” added Seetharam.
However, there are still not enough women who count as decision-makers at higher levels according to Erna Witoelar, the only woman in the Governing Council of APWF, who actively participated in the deliberations here last week.
Another major challenge confronting water specialists in Asia is the lack of good quality field data. It is a well-known paradigm
that what we cannot measure, we cannot improve. Yet, whether it is the quality of river water or the number of water connections or the details of underground pipes, experts are blindly groping for reliable data in Asia.
“It is ridiculous that in this day and age, we do not have a centralised data bank from where we can access information,” said McIntosh. “Yet there is no dearth of data which is completely useless!” exclaimed Biswas. So severe is the data problem that it has become difficult to carry out both inter-country and intra-country comparisons with regard to adequacy of water and sanitation facilities.
To overcome this problem to some extent, Indian water expert Bhanoji Rao has developed an Index for Drinking Water Adequacy for Asia. “This index could be used by Asian planners as a tool for assessment, monitoring and benchmarking in the future,” said Rao.
The clock is ticking and already the MDGs have received much flak from experts for only targeting half the population unserved by water and sanitation.
“When there are people without piped water or sanitation, you have a disaster at hand and you have to handle this on a war footing,” asserts McIntosh. “Old rules need to be put aside to get the job done quickly.”
[END/2007]
* Sahana Singh is the Editor of the Asian Water Magazine.
Elevated lead levels found at eight schools
BELLEVILLE, ONTARIO, September 4, 2008 (Water Tech) — Eight elementary and high schools here are providing bottled water to students after elevated levels of lead were detected in the buildings’ drinking water, according to a September 3 article in The Community Press.
Water testing was performed in anticipation of the resumption of classes after summer recess. There are no lead pipes in any of the buildings, and the source of the lead is thought to be lead solder or brass fixtures. Water sitting in the pipes during the summer months may have encouraged leaching, according to the article.
The acceptable upper limit for lead in school water is 0.010 milligrams per liter (mg/L). The levels discovered at the schools ranged from 0.0121 mg/L to 0.0262 mg/L, according to the article.
Water fountains at the schools have been bagged to prevent use and the pipes will be flushed until lead levels return to acceptable limits, according to the article.
Very true stevo,the first global contract will open that huge swinging door.to world recognition
Meds-in-water back in spotlight with new data
NEW YORK, September 12, 2008 (Water Tech) — Recent tests of drinking water supplies, prompted by an Associated Press (AP) report in March that 41 million Americans receive drinking water tainted by trace levels of pharmaceuticals, reveal that the number of Americans affected by meds-in-water is at least 46 million, according to a September 10 AP report.
The original AP stories prompted federal and local legislative hearings, brought about calls for mandatory testing and disclosure, and led officials in at least 27 additional metropolitan areas to analyze their drinking water, the AP reported. Positive tests were reported in 17 areas, including Reno, NV; Savannah, GA; Colorado Springs, CO; and Huntsville, AL. Results are pending in three other areas.
The most recent test results, added to data disclosed by communities and water utilities for the March AP report, produce the new total of Americans known to be exposed to drinking water that contains trace levels of pharmaceutical compounds.
Boston, Phoenix and Seattle found no detections of pharmaceuticals in their drinking water supplies.
Cities that reported finding pharmaceuticals in their supplies detected substances similar to those found in other cities’ supplies and reported on in March. One such substance is the anti-convulsant carbamazepine.
According to AP, the overwhelming majority of US cities have not tested drinking water for pharmaceuticals. One of them, New York City, maintains that testing “is not warranted at this time.”
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I haven't traveled, but am learning from reading and research. If the public was better educated, changes might happen sooner. Go Puro, make the difference!
No doubt that our co. can do wonders for the people of these poor nations, or for all nations.
Sounds like a lot of the blame can be placed on the officials who run water systems.
I have seen pictures and the more I read and see, it seems almost impossible in this day and age, but the problem is there and does need serious help. The potable water system could make a big difference.
They definately need more help than they are getting.
It is surprising that more people aren't ill or dead in the underdeveloped countries.
Along with hotels, think about all the hospitals and schools that need help with clean water.
All families are different, especially in size. Even with the two of us, it seemed low.
With kids, this seems like a low amt.
Looks like the Great Lakes area is in trouble.
Twin cities: Water-borne diseases on the rise!
Sunday, July 20, 2008
Muhammad Qasim
Rawalpindi
With the onset of hot, humid weather and early monsoon rains, situation of water-borne diseases such as viral hepatitis (A&E), gastroenteritis, typhoid and paratyphoid fever, cholera, dysentery, E-coli diarrhoea, giardiasis and intestinal worms, malaria, dengue fever, poliomyelitis and rotavirus diarrhoea in infants - the second major cause of childhood deaths - is likely to get worse if effective prevention and control measures are not adopted religiously.
Head of Community Medicine at Islamabad Medical & Dental College, Colonel (r) Professor Dr Muhammad Ashraf Chaudhry said this while talking to ‘The News’ Saturday in connection with rapid spread of water-borne diseases in twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi and all across the country.
“An outbreak of gastroenteritis (also know as gastro) has already hit several localities of Rawalpindi, Lahore and Hyderabad and the number of patients is still on the rise,” he added.
According to data collected by ‘The News’, two of the three teaching hospitals in town including Holy Family Hospital and Rawalpindi General Hospital have received nearly 3,000 patients with gastroenteritis within past one-and-a-half months.
Water pollution has become a real threat to public health in Pakistan. The most common sources of water contamination are a result of human activity such as discharges from factories, leaky/rusty underground water pipelines, cross-connections between water supply lines and sewerage drainage pipelines, improperly treated sewage disposal, agricultural chemicals and pesticides, trickling and seeping in to underground water aquifers and unclean storage tanks.
To a query, Dr Ashraf said that water in many cities of Pakistan is unsafe for human consumption due to both bacterial and chemical contamination. “After 60 years of independence, we do not have a national drinking water policy and as well mandatory safety and quality standards for drinking water in Pakistan. Those who are responsible for treating water at source are either absent or not trained to do their job properly,” he said adding either their apparatus are not working or they have short of chlorine gas cylinders supply.
He said that in Pakistan, nearly 1.2 million people die each year due to water-borne diseases. Amongst these, 250,000 children are under the age of five who succumb to diarrhoea, mainly caused by the use of untreated water. “The water-borne illnesses account for nearly 60% of child deaths in Pakistan with approximately 630 children dying daily from diarrhoea.” Dr Ashraf said that residents of Rawalpindi are also vulnerable to water-borne diseases due to supply of contaminated water in many areas of the city. “About 80% of Rawalpindi population drinks contaminated water. Every day, nine out of ten times, the glass of water turns out to be ‘unfit for human consumption’ as the situation of public water sources, storage tanks, distribution channels etc. has become horrifying.”
According to statistics, the bacterial contamination in water pumped through tube-wells has increased from 33% in 2004 to 65 per cent in 2008 while in 2003, as many as 81,996 cases of water-borne diseases were registered in Rawalpindi. Dr Ashraf said that 80% of infectious and parasitic diseases are related to contaminated water while people suffering from water-borne diseases occupy 25% of hospital beds.
He said that globally, 250 million cases of water-borne diseases and 10 million deaths are reported each year. Usually water leads to 1 in 10 diseases and 6 per cent of deaths worldwide. “An estimated 2.2 million children die each year because of preventable water-borne diseases but still there seems lack of political will in Pakistan in addressing problems related to provision of safe drinking water,” he said.
Talking on guidelines for water pollution control authorities and the community in order to curb the incidence of water-borne diseases, Dr Ashraf said that water must be protected from pollution before drinking and sterilized by boiling or chlorination as ground water becomes contaminated due to frequent rains. “Water must be brought to ‘rolling boil’ for 5-10 minutes. Chlorination of water may be carried out by chlorine gas (on large scale), bleaching powder, chlorine tablets, and chlorine stock solution,” he said adding for emergency disinfections, two drops of ethanol solution of iodine are sufficient to one litre of water.
Uninterrupted chlorinated water must be supplied to consumers 24 hourly. Water treatment plants or chloronomes should be run by experts or well trained personnel. Every tube-well should have a chloronome and a filter, he said.
Professor Ashraf opined that proper inspection and sampling of water points should be carried out on regular basis by the local health authorities. Residual chlorine should also be checked periodically. Minimum 0.5 ppm (parts per million) of residual chlorine must be ensured at the consumer end. Surveillance has to be established at every point in the distribution system to ensure supply of safe water to the consumer.
He added that old, outdated and rusty water pipelines (more than 30 years old) should be replaced by new ones and laid far distance away from the sewerage lines in order to avoid cross-connections. “Every one rupee invested in this area would bring an additional benefit of ten rupees in healthcare savings and productivity,” said Dr Ashraf.
He suggested that water pollution control departments should be established at every district level and they should be provided necessary funds, staff and physical facilities for field surveys and laboratory work. He added that public water storage tanks as well as of houses should be got cleaned regularly at least twice a year.
“Don’t drink water at bus stops, rail compartments and from vendors. Utensils should not be washed from stagnant source of water. Soakage wells/septic tanks should be at least 15 meters away from underground water storage tanks. Water should be stored in clean and covered utensils and do remember that ice is contaminated by dirty cans, dirty covers and dirty containers,” concluded Dr Ashraf.
EXTRA: A Watchlist for Children
Rotavirus
It has been responsible for several drinking water outbreaks worldwide and is the major cause of childhood gastroenteritis. The incidence of disease peaks in the fall and winter months. Nearly 30 percent of children under the age of 2 show evidence of infection; although half of these cases experience no notable illness. By the age of 3, most children are thought to have been infected by rotavirus. Infections are common in both developed and developing countries.
Adenovirus
Its incidence may be as high as 12 percent around the world. Known to spread by the fecal-oral route, drinking water outbreaks with this virus have been suspected but not documented. Infections via the waterborne route have included recreational water exposures. Adenovirus 40 and 41 are identified as a common cause of acute viral gastroenteritis. They’re only present in the gastrointestinal tract and are extensively distributed, suggesting that water may be a route of transmission.
HAV
Hepatitis A virus (HAV) is well established as a waterborne virus. Most infections in children are asymptomatic with increasing attack rates in older children (>10 years old) and adults. The virus is relatively hardy, able to survive for days to months in different types of water. In almost half of the HAV cases, the route of transmission cannot be identified. In developing countries, most of the population is exposed in early childhood, a condition that results in increased immunity in older individuals.
HEV
In developing countries, Hepatitis E virus (HEV) may be endemic with incidence rates as high as 14 percent. Although children become infected, the illness is most serious in adults. Infection is most serious in pregnant women where the mortality rate ranges from 20-to-40 percent. HEV outbreaks haven’t been reported in the United States but animal reservoirs have been found. Unlike HAV, early infection of this virus doesn’t appear to infer lasting immunity.
Astrovirus
Astrovirus infections occur year round with a peak in the winter and spring months. They tend to cause mild illness and have been associated with drinking water outbreaks. They have high prevalence rates among children in developed and developing countries. By the age of 4, 64 percent of children show evidence of infection with astrovirus, increasing to 87 percent by the ages of 5-10.
Enteroviruses
The enterovirus group includes coxsackie viruses, echo viruses, polio viruses and other enterovirus strains. They’re associated with a broad spectrum of diseases, including meningitis, herpangina, hand-foot-mouth disease, conjunctivitis, myocarditis, febrile illness and others. The infection rate of enteroviruses among children is almost twice that of adults. These viruses peak in the summer and fall months, with symptomatic infections approaching 78 percent for those under age 4. Not clearly associated with drinking water outbreaks, the primary transmission route of these viruses is unknown. Recreational water exposures have been documented.
Norwalk and caliciviruses
Without cultural methods to grow Norwalk and caliciviruses, their true incidence is difficult to assess. Numerous drinking water outbreaks have been linked to these viruses, with several occurring in elementary schools and children’s camps. Although children and adults experience the same attack rates, secondary transmission of Norwalk virus is greater among school-aged children. It’s estimated that over a billion dollars a year is allocated for the Norwalk virus illnesses in the United States with nearly a half-billion dollars due to waterborne transmission.
Children at Increased Risk of Waterborne Contamination
by Kelly A. Reynolds, MSPH, Ph.D.
Photographs that illustrate this article are visible in the printed version of the article only. To receive a copy, please make a request at info@wcponline.com. Be sure to include the article title, author(s) name(s), the issue, your name and your fax number or full address in the email.
All age groups across the globe are impacted by the quality of water. Likewise, all ages are impacted by drinking water outbreaks; however, children are more likely to suffer greater attack rates, more serious illness and mortality from infectious diseases than other populations.
Epidemiological studies have been conducted to evaluate the relative incidence of gastroenteritis among consumers of tap water vs. those drinking tap water filtered by reverse osmosis (RO), designed to remove waterborne pathogens.1 Children who drank non-filtered tap water suffered a greater incidence of gastrointestinal disease. In another study, families were provided with purified bottled water, tap water bottled at the treatment plant, and tap water from the same plant that was delivered through the distribution system.2 Those consuming the bottled tap water were 14 percent more likely to become ill than those drinking purified bottled water. Even worse, drinking tap water from the home tap resulted in 19 percent greater illness. An evaluation of children from 2-5 years old shows an even more dramatic difference with an excess of illness in 17 percent of those consuming bottled tap water and 40 percent of those drinking water from the tap. This study, and many others, contributes to the mounting evidence that the young need additional safeguards against infectious disease.
Contributing factors of risk
Although children consume less water than adults, they’re more adversely affected by waterborne viruses, primarily due to their immature immune system. The immune system is the first line of control for the body against invading microbes. Children under the age of two, in particular, have impaired spleen, B-lymphocyte, and T-cell helper function—important mechanisms for the prevention of microbial infections.
Levels of Immunoglobulin A, an essential compound for combating microbial infections in the gastrointestinal tract, are drastically reduced in children, with adults having 70-to-300 times that of newborns. Even at 10 years of age, the levels are half that found in healthy adults. Stomach acids and other antimicrobial secretions are also reduced in children compared to adults. Similar trends have also been shown to occur in animal studies comparing neonate and adult mice. In addition to the physical deficiencies for microbial attack, children often have poor habits of hygiene, resulting in greater exposure to microbes from a variety of environmental sources, and not only limited to drinking water. The lack of frequent and effective handwashing is a major concern as well as children’s routine hand-to-mouth or surface-to-mouth contact.
Post-infection, infants and young children are more susceptible to serious dehydration. In addition, their neurological, heart and endocrine systems are more likely to be affected compared to older children and adults. The adverse impact to any of these systems can result in serious illness, hospitalization and even death.
It’s only diarrhea
The impact of gastrointestinal illness, also referred to as GI, cannot be underestimated. Diarrhea is the second most common illness in the United States, surpassed only by respiratory infections. Worldwide, over 500 million episodes of diarrhea occur each year in children under the age of five. Six million of these infections result in death, making diarrhea the leading cause of infant mortality. Although the majority of these deaths are in developing countries, diarrhea is still listed as one of the top 10 leading causes of death in infants in the United States, where an estimated 21-to-37 million episodes occur annually in children under the age of five. More than 200,000 of these children are hospitalized and up to 400 die of the disease each year.
Serious enteric infections can be transmitted to a child at birth from an infected mother. Studies show that pregnant women consume more tap water than other adults, potentially placing themselves at increased risk, if the tap water were contaminated. The immunity of children can, however, be improved by the nursing mother. Breast-feeding is known to compensate for immune deficiencies in children. Breast-fed infants have been found to harbor significantly higher concentrations of antibodies (markers of immune response to microbes) compared to formula-fed infants. Diarrheal disease incidence tends to be half as prevalent in breast fed babies compared to those formula fed. The length of time an infant is breast fed also has an impact on their immunity, with infants nursed for three months or less developing respiratory and gastroenteric infections earlier than those nursed for longer periods. In general, proper nutrition is vital to prevent enteric infections, as malnutrition is directly associated with an increased susceptibility to gastrointestinal illness.
Impact of viral agents
Enteric viruses are the major cause of childhood gastroenteritis in the United States and are the leading identifiable cause of childhood hospitalizations for gastroenteritis, resulting in an estimated 150 deaths each year. In over 79 percent of hospital admissions for gastrointestinal illness are due to unknown causes, while greater than 25 percent are due to viruses, approximately 5 percent due to bacteria and less than 0.3 percent due to parasites. Rotavirus alone is associated with more than 16 percent of all diarrhea-associated hospital admissions.
Many enteric viruses are spread by the waterborne route including rotavirus, adenovirus, caliciviruses, Norwalk virus, astrovirus, hepatitis A and E, and enteroviruses. More than half of the enteric virus infections result in mild or asymptomatic illness; however, they can cause a wide range of serious and even life-threatening illnesses in children (see EXTRA).
Treatment and prevention
Treatment for viral infections is limited primarily to supportive therapy. The replacement of lost fluids and electrolytes is imperative to prevent complications from dehydration. In addition, bismuth subsalicylate has been shown to result in a faster recovery in some instances. Vaccines are available for Hepatitis A and poliovirus. A rotavirus vaccine was licensed by the Food and Drug Administration in 1998 but has been pulled from the market due to a possible association with a rare intestinal disorder.
Overall, children and other immunocompromised persons bear the greatest burden of illness associated with waterborne viruses. Not only are they more likely to become infected but they’re also more likely to become ill, suffer more severe symptoms and die more often than adults and healthier populations. The best defense against viral infections is prevention. In many cases, exposure to infectious viruses can be minimized by practicing good hygiene and proper treatment of water supplies. When available, vaccines have proven effective for the drastic decline of many infectious diseases.
Finally, regulatory agencies have recognized the disproportionate impact of waterborne disease in children and have begun to address the concern under a 1996 revision of the Safe Drinking Water Act, requiring that populations at greatest risk be taken into consideration in the development of future rules. In 1997, President Bill Clinton signed an executive order, ”Protection of Children from Environmental Health Risks and Safety Risks,” as a primary directive to federal agencies to evaluate the impact of planned actions on the health and safety of children. These efforts are reinforced by a USEPA policy requiring that infants and children be considered in risk assessment analyses used for regulatory decisions and standards development.
Conclusion
Studies have shown that children consuming municipal water, which has been treated with RO filtration designed to remove microbes, had a substantial reduction of their risk of gastrointestinal illness from water. RO and other point-of-use systems, designed for removal of infectious organisms, promise to provide additional measures of safety for children consuming treated and untreated drinking water.
It's sad, a place we rely on for our good health can make us so ill.
just seeems to get worse the more we research...:(
That info on prisons is amazing.I wonder how many others aren't known about. The water problem not only affects prisoners and staff, but also the public from the waste water. They do need help!
09 is almost here and hopefully it will be a great money making year for the company and stock holders!
I agree, it was interesting.
Interesting article.How many other correctional facilities have this water problem?
Governors and Obama Should Make Water Infrastructure a Top Economic Stimulus Priority
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
By: American Rivers
Green solutions for clean water and flood protection save money, create jobs, improve public safety
Contact:
Amy Kober, American Rivers, 206-213-0330 x23
Philadelphia, PA -- American Rivers today called on the National Governors Association and President-elect Obama to make green solutions for the nation’s water treatment systems, sewers and levees a top economic stimulus priority that will save money, create jobs, and improve public safety. Governors from 40 states are meeting with the President-elect today to discuss economic stimulus measures including infrastructure investments.
“If the economic stimulus plan doesn’t include significant investments in green solutions for our water infrastructure needs, a once-in-a-century opportunity will be lost,” said Betsy Otto, vice president for strategic partnerships at American Rivers.
Our country is fast approaching a crisis point when it comes to clean water. The nation’s sewer systems, pipes, and levees are outdated and crumbling, and global warming threatens communities with more floods, droughts and waterborne diseases. The American Society of Civil Engineers recently graded the nation’s dams a D, and wastewater and drinking water systems a D-, the lowest grades of any infrastructure category.
American Rivers applauded the National Governors Association and its chairman, Pennsylvania Governor Edward Rendell, for including investments in drinking water systems, flood control, and water reclamation in its economic stimulus recommendations. But while the NGA proposed $15.2 billion in water infrastructure investments, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency estimates that fixing the nation’s water infrastructure will cost at least $277 billion, and not fixing it will cost even more.
American Rivers urged the governors and the President-elect to invest in green infrastructure solutions to cost effectively stretch investments in water. Green infrastructure can help supply clean water, reduce polluted runoff, stop sewer overflows, and minimize flooding and thus enhance community safety.
Green infrastructure incorporates both the natural environment and engineered systems and provides a wide array of benefits. It means planting trees and restoring wetlands, rather than building a costly new water treatment plant. It means choosing water efficiency instead of building a new water supply dam. It means restoring floodplains instead of building taller levees.
“We need to invest more in water infrastructure, but we need to invest more wisely, too,” said Otto. “Making significant, strategic green investments in our water infrastructure will save money, create good jobs, and give our country a head start on an important new sector of the economy.”
Green infrastructure creates jobs in many sectors that can’t be outsourced, including plumbing, landscaping, engineering, building, and design. Green solutions also support supply chains and the jobs connected with manufacturing of materials from rain barrels to permeable pavement.
Many forward-looking cities are already embracing green infrastructure, including New York, Chicago, Portland, Seattle, San Francisco, Minneapolis-St. Paul, Milwaukee, Kansas City, Toledo, Cincinnati, and Philadelphia, as well as many others.
The following core principles should guide water infrastructure funding so that proven, cost-effective green solutions are chosen instead of old, outdated, costly approaches:
Nature works best: Rivers, streams, wetlands, floodplains, and forests provide a suite of critical services like clean water and flood protection, and should be viewed as essential and effective components of our water infrastructure. The reason New York City has great quality tap water is because the city invested in water protection by purchasing land around its Catskills reservoirs rather than by building expensive treatment plants. That strategy ensured that polluted run-off from roads and lawns doesn’t enter the water supply and saved the city over $6 billion in capital and maintenance costs.
Don’t waste money: Spending money wisely means investing in multi-purpose solutions that lower costs and provide more benefits. Recently, the City of Indianapolis announced that by using wetlands, planting trees, and disconnecting downspouts to limit stormwater flows into its combined sewer system, the city will be able to install much smaller sewer pipes, saving over $300 million.
Enhance community safety and security: Traditional infrastructure isn’t designed to handle the increased floods and droughts that come with global warming, so we need a modern approach to protect public health, safety, and quality of life. Green solutions give communities the flexibility and security they need. Napa, CA solved flooding problems by choosing to restore the Napa River’s natural channel and wetlands, rather than lining the river with concrete. The effort has protected 2,700 homes and prevented $26 million in flood damage each year.
Factsheet
List
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American Rivers is the leading national organization standing up for healthy rivers so communities can thrive. American Rivers protects and restores America’s rivers for the benefit of people, wildlife and nature. Founded in 1973, American Rivers has more than 65,000 members and supporters nationwide, with offices in Washington, DC and the Mid-Atlantic, Northeast, Midwest, Southeast, California and Northwest regions. Visit www.AmericanRivers.org
Puro's technology is definately needed now because the lack of water and clean water is a matter of life and death!
Thank you, Doog, I think we have a real winner here!