WorldWide Drilling Resource

Time to Restore America’s Water Infrastructure Compiled by Amy White, Associate Editor, WorldWide Drilling R source e ® In the u.S., there are roughly 16,000 wastewater systems, en- compassing about 740,000 miles of public sewers and 500,000 miles of private lateral sewers. unfortunately, some elements of these sys- tems are well over a century old. Due to age, neglect, and accidents, nearly 50,000 sanitary sewer overflows occur every year, followed by illnesses and negative impacts on the environment. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), as much as 10 billion gal- lons of raw sewage is leaked yearly from poorly functioning systems across the country. The latest infrastructure report card issued by theAmerican Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) gave a “D” grade for both wastewater and drinking water infrastructure. ASCE indicated leaking pipes lose an es- timated seven billion gallons of clean drinking water every day. The EPA has initiated a research program to help utilities renew water distribution and wastewater collection systems. As part of the program, a state-of-the-art review of current and emerging renewal technologies such as cured-in-place pipe (CIPP) is taking place. Some water experts say the country’s aging and failing infrastructure is threatening na- tional competitiveness. “Aworld-class economy needs world-class infrastructure,” said Ben Grumbles, president of the u.S. Water Alliance. ASCE introduced a new phone app to highlight the importance of infrastructure to the economy, and recognize great strides being made to prioritize investment and renewal of water pipes, roads, bridges, and more. The Save America’s Infrastructure app gives insight into America’s aging utilities, and provides a way to take action with a direct link to contact elected officials and voice concerns. Features of the app include state statistics for crucial infrastructure categories (such as wastewater and drinking water), along with Report Card grades for each state where applicable. Visit blogs.asce.org for more information about the app. 61 WorldWide Drilling Resource ® MARCH 2016