We need a Water Information Administration, just as the Department of Energy has an Energy Information Administration, to collect, curate and maintain up-to-date, publicly available water data to inform policy makers and the markets. Compared to sectors like energy, where robust statistics on prices, production and consumption are generated weekly, key information on water use and supply is missing or published only every few years. In cities across the country, billions of gallons of water disappear every day through leaky pipes. Wastewater treatment systems are in serious need of upgrading. Flooding strains treatment plants and sewer systems in many older cities, causing them to discharge untreated sewage whenever rainfall or snowmelt overwhelm them. Droughts also jeopardize water supplies, causing cities in the West to reach farther or dig deeper to get their water.
At www.nytimes.com
