Will Managing the U.S. Water Crisis Cost More Than a Trillion Dollars?
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Will Managing the U.S. Water Crisis Cost More Than a Trillion Dollars?

Currently, 0.5% of all the water on the planet is potentially usable by people, animals, and plants. The planet's remaining fresh water is locked in the polar ice caps, in the soil, or irreversibly polluted.

With the Lake Mead reservoir at 35% capacity, Lake Powell at 31%, and the entire Lower Colorado system at 40%, the Bureau of Reclamation announced on August 16 that it would cut water allocations over the next year.

Water events in the U.S., such as Flint, Michigan, Hoosick Falls, New York, and Jackson, Mississippi, as well as the western drought are raising awareness. The average U.S. water-network pipe is 45 years old, with some cast-iron pipes more than a century old. Despite our dependence on water, in 2022, it is not considered a fundamental right outside of California.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) projects water-pipe replacement rates will peak in 2035 at 16,000-20,000 miles of pipes replaced per year—four times the current annual replacement rate of 4,000-5,000 miles.

According to the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), their comprehensive assessment of America's infrastructure yielded a "C-" (up from "D+" in 2017) with drinking water a "C-," stormwater a "D," and wastewater a "D+" [grading scale of A to F].

The ASCE sees cumulative investment needed from 2020 to 2029 in drinking water/wastewater/stormwater of $1.045 trillion, of which $611 billion is currently funded. This shortfall yields a funding gap of $434 billion.

Multiple agencies administer the U.S. water infrastructure. They lack the current political conviction and constituent focus. Consumers feel the impact of energy inflation daily with gasoline but are scarcely aware of their water bills. A holistic approach, including a digital overlay, is required for the U.S. to upgrade its water infrastructure. At the same time, many parts of the system need attention. In our view, meaningful administrative action is essential in assessing progress. 

@John Walsh