A game plan for aging water infrastructure

Abstract

The aging water infrastructure (AWI) dilemma requires a straightforward road map to address the issue as a financial problem. The basic steps should be understood by water utility management, politicians, and members of the public. Once this common ground is established, collaborative partnerships can be formed and professionals from a variety of disciplines can work through the steps. The game plan presented in this article uses the AWI solution cycle to offer basic steps to – among other things – reduce costs, find every available funding source, create new partnerships, conduct condition assessments, communicate with the stakeholders, address rate affordability challenges, build an asset management program, and achieve sustainability. As these basic steps are followed, cost efficiencies will occur and costly mistakes will be avoided. In addition, overall asset risk will decrease, and infrastructure investment funding gaps will be reduced. In order to move forward on AWI, the focus must be shifted from an engineering problem to a financial problem. Likewise, moving forward with condition assessment ahead of a total asset management program offers small and medium utilities a chance to better allocate funding and reduce risk early in the process.