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2008-12-12 AWE Advises Obama's Transition Team on
Investment in Water Efficiency
Water Efficiency as Stimulus and Long-Term Investment
The Alliance for Water Efficiency advised
President-Elect Barack Obama’s transition team about the
employment potential and economic benefits of broad
investments in water efficiency. AWE has prepared a
position paper titled, “Transforming
Water: Water Efficiency as Stimulus and Long-Term
Investment ”. The intent of the paper is to show
that water efficiency programs yield jobs, water savings
and other economic benefits and will be a cost-effective
investment to consider for the stimulus package. It has
been reported that this document is already being used
to help inform future national policy. The AWE
position paper had the following key findings:
- Direct investment on the order of $10 billion in
water/energy efficiency programs can boost U.S.
Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by $13 to $15 billion
and employment by 150,000 to 220,000 jobs. It could
save up to 9.3 trillion gallons of water, with
resulting energy reductions as well.
- Water/energy efficiency programs can be rapidly
deployed and scaled to need. The paper provides a
formula to use for scaling jobs to amount of
investment.
- Some of the best opportunities for conservation
investment are in lower-income areas where water
distribution infrastructure has not been adequately
maintained or replaced and where household and
commercial appliance stocks tend to be older and
less efficient.
- The long-term strategic, economic, social, and
environmental benefits of water/energy efficiency
program make them “no-regret” investments in the
nation’s future.
- Investing in water/energy efficiency programs
now will, over the longer term, help advance
national energy policy, promote sustainable resource
use, contribute towards Green House Gas emissions
reduction, and lessen mounting regional conflicts
over water resources.
From Alliance For Water Efficiency |
