EPA: $298bn Needed for US Water Infrastructure

The US Environment Protection Agency (EPA) has released its Clean Watersheds Needs Survey (CWNS) report to Congress citing a total funding requirement of $298bn for water infrastructure.

The report, which is prepared every four years, outlines the country’s wastewater and stormwater treatment and collection needs for the next 20 years.

It outlines an investment of $192.2bn for publicly owned wastewater pipes and treatment facilities, $63.6bn for combined sewer overflow rectification and $42.3bn for stormwater management.

The EPA report says the funding deficit has increased by 17% since the 2004 CWNS report, according to watertechonline.com.

The EPA suggests that the federal government should form a long-term partnership with states to devise a mechanism to bridge the gap between funding and infrastructural needs.