Water Infrastructure

A new report produced by Green For All in Seattle says that spending $188 billion on green water infrastructure would generate billions more in economic activity and create almost two million jobs nationwide. The study, produced in partnership with the American Rivers, Pacific Institute, and the Economic Policy Institute, sets out the problem facing cities throughout the United States: aging infrastructure surrounding drinking water, waste water and storm water. The solution, a green infrastructure program including green roofs, urban tree planting, constructed wetlands, permeable pavements, rainwater harvesting, and greenways.

For the Pacific Northwest, the report estimates between 50,000 and 72,000 jobs would be created if the recommended infrastructure work were undertaken. Water infrastructure is crucial to BC’s climate change adaptation. The IPCC Technical Paper on Climate Change and Water says water resources will be strongly impacted by climate change. The BC government’s living water smart website acknowledges the threat: “Climate change is already impacting our forests, rivers and lakes, infrastructure, agriculture, industry, and recreational opportunities.”

Climate change is going to cause more extreme weather conditions, which means more intense rainfall and more flooding. Some of the report’s recommendations for improved green water infrastructure could provide valuable guidance for even greater action in BC. According to the report, green infrastructure can preserve and restore natural landscape features such as forests, floodplains and wetlands. Benefits include reduced storm water runoff and pollutants, enhanced groundwater recharge, increased carbon sequestration, and improved air quality. Source: ISIS, Sauder School of Business, UBC. Source: earthfix.opb.org.