The very fabric of American society is crumbling. No, that’s not a metaphor for the state of civil unrest the country is currently experiencing. The American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) gives the nation's infrastructure a D+ grade. So regardless of who is elected president next month, the top priority should be a comprehensive overhaul of the nation’s infrastructure system, which includes buildings and water infrastructure.
Per ASCE, many of the nation’s one million miles of pipe were laid in the early to mid-20th century, with a lifespan between 75 and 100 years. I know this comes as no surprise to you — our readers — but we are nearing the end of that life expectancy. There are an estimated 240,000 water main breaks per year in the U.S., wasting more than 2 trillion gallons of treated drinking water. According to the American Water Works Association, an estimated $1 trillion is necessary to maintain and expand service to meet demands over the next 25 years.