Water pollution, chemical spills, and algae blooms can wreak havoc on a community, not only by affecting the water supply and animal populations but also through many seemingly unrelated industries that tend to suffer with “dirty” water. Keeping our water clean through regulations like the Clean Water Act and the Safe Drinking Water Act directly bolster the local economy by providing safe water for food & beverage production, fishing, shipping, tourism, and real estate.
Even indirectly, clean water supports the Minnesota communities in which we live, work, and keep our companies profitable. As Minnesota Pollution Control Agency Commissioner, John Linc Stine, explains, "We all want clean water. We all recognize the value it brings to Minnesota: both in terms of tangible economic benefits such as increased property values and a robust tourism industry, and intangible benefits that enrich our lives as Minnesotans. We must work together to find creative, cost-effective solutions to paying for it. We can achieve water quality when we all do our fair share.”
Most obviously, clean water makes for great Minnesota activities and is key to tourism. From the North Shore to Minnehaha Falls and everything in between, out-of-towners and local folks alike expect […]
Full article: The Effect of Clean Water on the Economy
More about the Boundary Waters and Minnesota:
Top Teen 2017 finalist: Joseph Goldstein uses his voice for Boundary Waters
Researcher crusades for policies to protect water: Dr. Deborah Swackhamer