EPA Survey Identifies $472.6 Billion in Drinking Water Infrastructure Needs

EPA’s 6th Drinking Water Infrastructure Needs Survey and Assessment shows $472.6 billion is needed to maintain and improve the nation’s drinking water infrastructure over the next 20 years.  The agency is required under the 1996 Safe Drinking Water Act Amendments to conduct an assessment of the nation’s public water systems’ infrastructure every four years. The results of the new survey will form the basis for the state allocation formula for the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund.

The agency’s assessment indicates that improvements are primarily required for:

• Distribution and transmission – $312.6 billion to replace or refurbish aging or deteriorating pipelines;
• Treatment – $83 billion to construct, expand or rehabilitate infrastructure to reduce contamination;
• Storage – $47.6 billion to construct, rehabilitate or cover water storage reservoirs; and,
• Source – $21.8 billion to construct or rehabilitate intake structures, wells and spring collectors.