Feb. 14 (Bloomberg) — As investments in water projects
increase in the U.S., so too will job prospects in at least 130
fields from landscaping to engineering, The Pacific Institute
said.
Investing $1 million in a sustainable water initiative may
yield as many as 72 jobs, the Oakland, California-based research
group said in a report released today. About 28 of the vocations
would require on-the-job training rather than a bachelor’s
degree, according to the report.
“Unfortunately, the data out there doesn’t really allow
for an aggregate number on all jobs in the country created by
sustainable water projects or practices,” Eli Moore, one of the
study’s authors, said in a Feb. 12 phone interview. “What we
are very comfortable saying, after looking at all this data, is
that these type of practices both increase water savings and
create substantial numbers of jobs.”
A $1 million investment in an alternative water-supply
project may yield 10 to 15 jobs while that same investment in
water restoration and remediation may produce 72.
Job creation in fields that improve the environment “have
largely focused on energy efficiency and renewable energy,” and
“the growing interest in exploring green jobs in water is well-
merited,” the report said. “If we continue to separate our
efforts at water sustainability and economic opportunity, we may
miss opportunities to strengthen both through integration.”
To contact the reporter on this story:
Justin Doom in New York at
jdoom1@bloomberg.net
To contact the editor responsible for this story:
Reed Landberg at
landberg@bloomberg.net
