U.S. Mayors Examine Importance of Municipal Water

The U.S. Conference of Mayors recently convened in New York City for a joint meeting of the Mayors Water Council and the Municipal Waste Management Association, an environmental affiliate of the Conference, to examine new information on the economic and public health benefits of local government investment in municipal water and sewer infrastructure and services.

Albuquerque, N.M., Mayor Martin Chavez and Fayetteville, Ark., Mayor Dan Coody, co-chairs of the Mayors Water Council, were joined by Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, Mayor Don Robart, vice-chair of the Mayors Environment Committee, in leading the discussion. The mayors assembled a series of panels including environmental, sanitation and water. Commissioners from several U.S. cities, water experts and bottled water industry leaders attended.

The meeting was held in response to a municipal water resolution adopted in June of 2007 at The U.S. Conference of Mayors Annual Meeting in Los Angeles. The resolution, titled The Importance of Municipal Water, directed the Conference of Mayors to compile data on the importance of local government investment in municipal water and sewers and to examine how bottled water contributes to solid waste.

The Cadmus Group Inc., working in concert with the Mayors Water Council, found that investing in drinking water and sewer systems only yields positive returns. While the returns vary depending on existing local infrastructure, generally a $1 increase in spending on water and sewer infrastructure yields a savings of as much as $2.62. Cadmus’ research also shows that adding one job in water and sewer services on the local level can lead to 3.68 jobs in the national economy to support that one water- or sewer-related job. 

Source: U.S. Conference of Mayors