The nation's drinking water infrastructure received a slightly better grade in a report card released March 19 by the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE). By showing signs of progress, the sector received a D, up from D- received on the previous report card.
The ACSE 2013 Report Card for America's Infrastructure warned, however, that significant capital investments would be needed to address problems associated with aging systems and said “much of our drinking water infrastructure is nearing the end of its useful life.” While there are an estimated 240,000 water main breaks in the U.S. each year, and pipes and mains are frequently more than 100 years old and in need of replacement, outbreaks of disease attributable to drinking water are rare, the report said. It also noted that the quality of drinking water throughout the nation remains universally high.