Column: Water is a shrewd investment | Columnists

Rock Island has been managing its water for over a century and has been a model of efficiency for the past several decades. The city received grants from the EPA and the state of Illinois for low-interest loans and got to work. The water treatment plant has been completely rebuilt, retaining basins have been built to slow the runoff, and the wastewater treatment has been modernized.

Most of the work has been carried out over a 10 year period and repairs will continue when the opportunity arises. In such an old system it takes time to bring everything up to date, but the pace has been steady and the job has been done well. It was well worth the money. No mineral water is required in Rock Island.

Now, in these COVID days, revenue has plummeted and cities are in trouble to keep things going. For this reason, the Pandemic Aid Act has carefully raised funds for states and communities. Rock Island is slated to receive $ 27.5 million, which will ease the pressure a little.

With oil being the investment of choice in the past, water is now attracting interest on Wall Street. One company, American Water, bought water treatment plants nationwide, and one of its subsidiaries, Illinois American Water, is reviewing Rock Islands. Her most recent purchase was the Jerseyville water and sewer system, southeast of St. Louis, one of several cities in the area to use the cash.

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