What are inherent risks of existing old infrastructures, and what is the potential cost to taxpayers for re-construction of infrastructures to meet rising demand?
• A: To protect drinking water from contamination and the threat of further infrastructure deterioration, the NRDC recommends that cities replace/update pipes and water distribution systems in major cities. This need results in a funding gap of over $600 billion in cost to taxpayers. Residential water catchments can help, by reducing demand on aged infrastructure by using water where it falls, preventing runoffs and largely eliminating use of fresh drinking water for irrigation. • Within Our Reach:A strong argument can be made that — if there is national unity at all government levels within the US – a 3% penetration of converting homeowners to install water catchment systems, the following results would result in attaining water conservation, with conservative assumptions applied: • There are approximately 100 million households in the USA. If only 3% of these homes on average installed rain catchment systems, with an average USA rainfall of 28.9 inches, these systems would conserve
