This rendering shows what private investment might do to help manage stormwater. Image: WRT.

Earlier this month, NatLab published Creating Clean Water Cash Flows, an in-depth report chock full of ideas for financing green infrastructure that features the Philadelphia Water Department.  As more and more cities invest in green stormwater infrastructure, financing these investments is fast becoming a hot topic. In a previous blog post, we discussed a spike in interest in private funding for new green stormwater infrastructure (GSI) tools. Now the 87 page report provides an in-depth analysis of ways to engage the private sector in green infrastructure investments.

The NatLab consortium including the Natural Resources Defense Council, The Nature Conservancy and the investment firm EKO Asset Management Partners, collaborated with the Philadelphia Water Department on the report given the city’s status as a national leader in implementing green stormwater infrastructure. Although the recommendations focus on Philadelphia’s Green City, Clean Waters plan, the information will be useful for cities across the country.

Engaging the private sector is critical for the successful implementation of Green City, Clean Waters. According to our Water Commissioner, Howard Neukrug, “Leveraging public-private partnerships can help transform and green our City water systems in a brilliantly cost-effective way.” Read the NatLab report to learn more about the innovative ideas Philadelphia is piloting to finance these investments.

NextCity also covered the report here.