Water supports the food we eat, the businesses that make our cities go, and the AI and data centers that are driving the world’s economy. Water is the single ingredient upon which all these stand. But the nation’s water infrastructure sorely needs updating.

A new report reveals that the United States requires $3.4 trillion in water infrastructure investment over the next 20 years, coinciding with the sunset of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act’s $8 billion annual investment in September of this year. The report states that if water service were disrupted nationwide for just 24 hours, the economy would lose nearly $120 billion, 527,000 jobs, and $69 billion in GDP. This must be addressed now, not down the road. The country’s physical infrastructure — from pipes to sewage, wastewater, and storm water lines, as well as treatment plants — was largely built or last upgraded decades ago and reflects outdated engineering assumptions.

City leaders and officials have a critical role to play in identifying new solutions, improving municipal infrastructure and driving the implementation of new technologies to support our water systems. The consequences of city leaders’ inaction are substantial, and the opportunities for economic expansion are extraordinary.

Solving the water crisis can begin at the city level, as long as leaders and officials prioritize the necessary actions. Below are three things cities can do to address the water crisis.

1. Treat water at the point of use

Amid the rapid growth in data center development, it is essential to remember that water and energy are inextricably linked. It takes enormous energy to pump, transport and treat water. America transports more water farther than almost any other developed nation. In many states, 40% of the cost of water is energy, and some facilities spend more on electricity than on treatment itself. Every mile of pipe is a mile of vulnerability, cost, carbon and maintenance. Centralized systems can no longer scale economically or safely. We must build systems that treat water at the point of use, not miles away through infrastructure built in the 1950s.

Read the full article about updating water infrastructure by Kevin Gast at Smart Cities Dive.