We’ve all seen the devastation in the past, we’ve lost business, we’ve seen values decline during Lake-Okeechobee discharges and Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs), but what is the true damage done to our coastal-based economy when our waters suffer?

To answer that important question, we recently partnered up with Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation (SCCF) and the Conservancy of Southwest Florida to execute a study that quantifies the economic impact of harmful water-quality events in southwest Florida.

The study, conducted by Greene Economics, found that in the event of a future HAB event like those experienced in 2005/6 and 2018, southwest Florida would suffer monumental economic losses to the region’s output, jobs, property values, and quality of life.

Although the study concluded staggering economic losses from poor water quality, it also highlighted how good water quality has a positive economic impact, and the importance of prioritizing healthy waterways for a healthy, robust economy.

Finally measuring the quantifiable data through this report now ensures policymakers have the necessary information to make proactive investments in solutions that will prevent damaging events in the future.

There is an inextricable link between water quality and southwest Florida’s economy—you can’t have one without the other. This study shines a light on the dire need for everyone to recognize that link, from residents to business owners to elected officials, and everyone in between.