The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) publicly released its fourth Drinking Water needs assessment today. The purpose of the Assessment is to document the 20-year capital investment needs of public water systems that are eligible to receive Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF) funding.
The survey identified $334.8 billion in needs for the 20-year period from January 2007 through December 2026. The scope of the survey is limited to those needs eligible to receive DWSRF assistance—thus excluding capital projects related solely to dams, raw water reservoirs, future growth, and fire protection.
$200.8 billion in needs over the next 20 years, transmission and distribution projects represent the largest category of need. This result is consistent with the fact that transmission and distribution mains account for most of the nation’s water infrastructure. The other categories, in descending order of need are: treatment, storage, source and a miscellaneous category of needs called “other.”
To obtain a full copy of the report please visit http://www.epa.gov/safewater/needssurvey/index.html
For additional information please contact M&U Division Director Perry L. Fowler at fowlerp@agc.org or (703)837-5321.