Upper Neuse cities were grouped according to the municipal water utility system they belonged to. I determined the number of workers residing within the 2006 boundaries of the cities within each water utility, using OnTheMap. Based on the monthly earnings category reported for each worker, I arithmetically interpolated the aggregate, annual earnings estimate for the total resident working population of each water system. Adapting the “virtual water” conceptual framework, I posit that these aggregate earnings estimates can be said to represent the economic benefits of potable water supply and the associated water supply and treatment infrastructure for each municipal water utility system.
Figure 3: Water Supply Benefits Supported by Each City in the Upper Neuse Basin, 2006.
Interpolated from LED OnTheMap data. See Appendix 2 and 3 for methods, and Appendix 5 for data.