Environmental reality check: adequate funding for the region's water/sewer infrastructure is critical to long-term economic development.

All too often, the state of the Detroit Region's environment is overlooked in the overall economic-development picture.

A number of important environmental issues will be front and center in the public-policy arena during 2002, but the one that will deeply impact business and industry for years to come is funding for water/sewer infrastructure-repair, maintenance and expansion.

A recent report from the Southeast Michigan Council of Governments (SEMCOG) paints a compelling picture of how the combination of a decade of steady regional growth and declining investment in sewer infrastructure has brought crisis to our rivers, streams and lakes.

Consider these staggering facts: SEMCOG forecasts that in the next 30 years, the region will add 550,000 people, 445,000 jobs and 390,000 households.

The end result could be the urbanization of 272,000 acres of land (424 square miles)--the size of 12 townships. SEMCOG projects this growth will strain already insufficient resources as additional impervious surfaces--driveways, streets and rooftops--prevent water from being absorbed into the ground and send it instead into our streams and lakes. As the water runs from our neighborhoods to our lakes it collects an array of pollutants--bacteria from animal waste, excess nutrients from fertilizers, oil and heavy metals from automobiles and toxins from pesticides, to name a few.

During heavy rains sewers are overwhelmed and the result is untreated waste flowing directly into waterways and basements. Many of the region's treatment plants and sewer collectors are at or near capacity.

With some 60 to 70 percent of the sewer system already over 30 years old this problem is compounded when rural areas lacking sewer systems seek to extend sewer lines into their communities. This could serve to increase pollution in rural areas and cause problems downstream in already stressed urban areas.

Bigger challenge, fewer dollars

From a public-policy perspective, the issue boils down to money. Even as the region's water quality challenges are increasing, federal and state funding is decreasing. According to SEMCOG, federal and state governments contributed $255 million for sewer infrastructure projects in 1974. In 2000, they contributed $67 million (this figure is unadjusted for inflation). The math is simple: In order to maintain current levels of service, spending on sewer infrastructure must double. To maintain current systems while expanding service to accommodate growth, the region will need to spend at least $14 billion to $26 billion over the next 30 years.

In February 2001 Detroit Regional Chamber staff attended the first meeting of the newly formed Southeast Michigan Consortium for Water Quality. This group was formed at the initiative of U.S. District Judge John Feikens and is hosted by SEMCOG.

"The key word is regional. Our water-quality problems are regional, and the solutions therefore must be regional," the judge declared.

It is clear that the investments made by business to protect and preserve this vital resource are just part of the bigger picture. To meet current challenges the region as a community and every citizen in Southeast Michigan must play a role.

SEMCOG is recommending closing the gap between sewer needs and funding with a creative combination of reducing costs and increasing funding. The Detroit Regional Chamber agrees with this assessment 100 percent.

Sebastian Wade is director of public policy at the Detroit Regional Chamber, For more information on this issue, he can be reached at [phone] or e-mail: [e-mail].