An Assessment of the Economics of Natural and Built Infrastructure for Water Resources in Maine

Dispersed population growth has spread the need for new systems across the landscape, creating stresses on both the quantity and quality of Maine’s historically abundant groundwater and surface water supplies. Steps to address the inadequacies of these systems to manage stormwater flows are long overdue. This report concludes that there are numerous opportunities for Maine to meet the demands for new, upgraded, and expanded water resources management and to do so at much lower costs than is often thought (or feared) possible. Four aspects of water resources are examined in the report: 1. Maintaining drinking water quality 2. Mitigating good hazards 3. Ensuring adequate culverts 4. Managing stormwate