Hey, that doesn't look like the Schuylkill River. Pictured above is Rio de Janeiro, Philadelphia's sister city in the U.S.-Brazil Joint Initiative on Urban Sustainability (JIUS). Visit this brand-new website for the full story on the JIUS—the short version is that President Obama and President Rousseff created the JIUS last year to help cities implement sustainable infrastructure through public-private partnerships. To explain it in terms of Philadelphia's Green City, Clean Waters plan:

For example, green stormwater infrastructure systems typically consist of hundreds of small projects, including street trees, green roofs, and repaved roads, among other investments. Even though these systems are often cheaper to build than standard pipes and treatment systems, they are also more difficult for cities to finance with traditional mechanisms. By bringing together federal, state, and local government officials with corporate, financial, academic, and community leaders from Rio de Janeiro and Philadelphia—two cities leading the transition to sustainable infrastructure—JIUS participants identified multiple opportunities for scaling-up investment in urban sustainability.

The JIUS site highlights Green City, Clean Waters (including projects at Nebinger Elementary School and the Big Green Block) as well as Brazil's National Solid Waste Policy. The website is highly recommended reading for anyone interested in how sustainable infrastructure is being funded and how policy is written in two cities nearly 5,000 miles apart.

Pop Quiz: How many flushes does your average water bill buy you?

a. 1,152
b. 2,327
c. 3,516
d. 5,240

(Answer is on the back of this web page. Just kidding. It’s c – 3,516.)

As we mentioned in our previous post comparing Philadelphia Water Department rates to those of neighboring utilities, the average Philadelphian uses about 600 cubic feet or almost 4,500 gallons. The total bill for that amount of water usage AND the wastewater treatment that keeps the water supply clean AND the stormwater management that keeps the streets clear and the rivers healthy AND billing and collecting done by the Water Revenue Bureau (a department of the government wholly separate from PWD) comes to about $63.

Let’s have some more fun with math, shall we?

Given those numbers, 10 gallons of water costs about 14 cents. In four years, after the proposed rate adjustments have gone into effect, that 10 gallons of water will cost a little more than 16 cents. To put it in perspective, 10 gallons of the water (which is likely tap water, same as that you can get at home) in that 99-cent, 20-ounce bottle from the local convenience store would cost about $63. (And probably not taste any better at all.)

Those extra two cents or so per 10 gallons allows the Philadelphia Water Department to continue to ensure safe, high-quality drinking water while being a responsible steward of the region’s waterways—the Delaware and Schuylkill, along with dozens of other creeks and streams enjoyed by thousands of people every day. Those extra two cents mean that our children and grandchildren will have a chance at a cleaner, healthier environment than the one we started with.

Photo: Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia

Philadelphia's newest greenway—Gray's Ferry Crescent, stretching from 34th Street to Wharton Street along the eastern bank of the Schulykill River—was dedicated earlier this week. Check it out this weekend: There is a 3,700-foot long bicycle and pedestrian trail, plus lawn areas for recreation and relaxing by the river. Situated on a former brownfield, the Gray's Ferry Crescent is part of a larger greenway plan to connect Center City with Bartram's Garden along the Schuylkill.