Humans depend upon fresh water for survival. Healthy aquatic ecosystems provide: fish, water for irrigation, ground water storage, recreation, filter water and support extremely rich populations of wildlife, including birds and invertebrates.
Maintaining functioning and clean wetlands safeguards against expensive and unnecessary remedial measures such as stripping water of pollutants.
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The U.S. spends more than $2 billion annually on clean water initiatives.
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New York State spent $1 billion to restore the watershed that provides the City’s drinking water, rather than spend $8 billion on a water treatment facility in New York City.
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European water companies are currently paying large sums of money to remove pesticide contaminates from water sources, estimated at: €24.4 million, Netherlands, €130 million, Germany and €170 million, UK.
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Vittel, the French water bottling company, has invested €980 euros / hectares/year to protect the quality of its water by paying farmers to adopt improved land husbandry practices such as extensive grazing, zero agro-chemicals, composting animal waste and permanent crop covers on soils to prevent run off.
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State Riparian Forest Restoration Project (PRMC) in São Paulo, Brazil, supports farmers in the restoration and protection of riverside vegetation, to reduce erosion and improve water quality downstream.
http://www.esa.org/ecoservices/comm/body.comm.fact.wate.html
http://www.fao.org/es/esa/pesal/PESmaterials7.html