US drinking water infrastructure upgrades to cost $1trillion

The repairs and expansion of the US drinking water infrastructure will total $1trillion over the next 25 years, according to a report by the American Water Works Association (AWWA).

The report, ‘Buried No Longer: Confronting America’s Water Infrastructure Challenge’, explains that pipe replacement expenses account for more than 84% of the $278 billion need in the Northeast and Midwest regions through 2035, while in the South and West, expansion to meet a growing population amounts to about 62% of the projected need of $277 billion in that same time period.

Expenses are likely to be met primarily through higher water bills and local fees, which could triple in some communities.

Small, rural communities may be hit the hardest as places with fewer people living far apart have more pipe "miles per customer" than large, urban systems.

Postponing infrastructure investment in the near-term, however, raises the overall cost and increases the likelihood of water main breaks and other infrastructure failures, says the report.

AWWA executive director David LaFrance said, "The needs uncovered in ‘Buried No Longer’ are large, but they are not insurmountable. When you consider everything that tap water delivers – public health protection, fire protection, support for the economy, the quality of life we enjoy – we owe it to future generations to confront the infrastructure challenge today."