Experts are beginning to the weigh the impact of the ongoing coronavirus crisis against the need for expanded and refurbished infrastructure. As with most things these days, it seems more complicated the more you delve into the topic. Here are some interesting takes right now on the internet, the water treatment infrastructure and the economy.
Let’s start with something that isn’t as scary: working from home. Many of us are doing it, and industry leaders are asking: Will the internet hold up? Here's what the New York Times says about it:
So We’re Working From Home. Can the Internet Handle It?
Read the full article here.
And a report about the European Union asking Netflix and other streaming services to stop using using high definition. The binging there and in the U.S. is another threat to internet service.
Netflix CEO Reed Hastings talked with an EU official about how to keep the internet running smoothly
Read the full article here.
What About Water?
“It is clear that the country’s infrastructure is ill-prepared for the type of natural disaster that coronavirus presents: the kind that drives people apart rather than bringing them together,” according to a new report from Forbes.
Coronavirus Forces Us To Rethink Infrastructure For An Age Of Biological Risk
Read the full article here.
When it comes to utilities, “It’s important to design redundancy into systems from the start or work to retrofit legacy systems to eliminate single points of failure. This is particularly salient for mass transit agencies and potable water utilities.”
And, there are other ways water treatment should be protected. Right now, there is no reason to believe that this virus is spread through water—but what about pathogens in the future?
Infrastructure Investment
Bloomberg’s offers this column with suggestion on how to best spend the economic stimulus package. And the key to consumer confidence in the coming months is spending the dollars wisely. “One of the best ways to restore faith in the economy when the public-health emergency abates would be to ensure that it coincides with the largest public investment in infrastructure in generations,” the opinion piece by Michael Bloomberg says.
The Economic Response We Need to the Coronavirus
Read the full article here.
For ongoing updates about the ongoing crisis and its impact on the pumps industry, check pumpsandsystems.com/coronavirus.