TFTT Report
America’s Water Infrastructure Crisis
Every year, an estimated 240,000 water mains break in the United States, resulting in a loss of 7 billion gallons of water each day. Many of our water mains and pipes are more than 100 years old – some dating back to the Civil War era – and are in serious need of replacement. In 2013, The American Society of Civil Engineers’ (ASCE) Report Card for America’s Infrastructure gave our nation’s water systems a “D” grade.
Today, private water companies in the U.S. serve more than 73 million people and maintain over 100,000 miles of water pipes. Local governments across the country face urgent and significant water infrastructure needs, and public capital alone cannot cover the associated costs – especially for municipalities with other competing investment priorities or strained fiscal environments. There is widespread recognition that private finance and public-private partnerships are crucial to meeting infrastructure challenges.
