IN SEPTEMBER the authorities in St Petersburg, on the west coast of Florida, released about 150m gallons of raw and partially treated sewage into Tampa Bay, the natural harbour on which the city sits. Flooding related to Hurricane Hermine had overwhelmed the city’s ageing wastewater system—the third such incident in 13 months. According to a whistle-blower, consultants warned the city in 2014 that closing one of its sewage plants could lead to such a catastrophe. But it did it anyway.
Both candidates for president agree that America must spend more on its infrastructure which, though good, is deteriorating. It attracts a score of 5.9, on a scale of 1-7, from the World Economic Forum, down from 6.1 in 2007. (Over the same period, other rich countries saw their scores grow by an average of 0.3.) Government data show that in 2014 some 32% of America’s roads were rated “poor” or worse for bumpiness, up from 16% in 2005. The average annual delay faced by commuters has increased by 62% since 1990.
The decline is the inevitable result of falling infrastructure investment (see chart). It tumbled after the recession as states...Continue reading
Source: United States http://ift.tt/2ewmPqG
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