With America's water infrastructure graded as a D-minus by the American Society of Civil Engineers, officials are recognizing the need to upgrade the system. A $6 billion infusion by the federal government, though, is just a drop in the bucket.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency estimates that it will cost about $335 billion to fix all of the nation's water infrastructure problems.
"[S]ome U.S. cities have been forced to privatize their water supplies. The shift enables officials to offload huge maintenance costs while promising jobs. But the colossal nature of water infrastructure lends itself to monopolization, and because water systems are underground they're difficult for governments to monitor. In fact, Newsweek reports, some cities have grown so dismayed with privatized water that they've engaged in costly litigation to cancel the contracts.
The public may finally be ready to shoulder some of the burden. The results of a new survey, released earlier this week by ITT Corporation, suggest that people are willing to pay a little more-just a little-to keep the country's water pipes from crumbling."
FULL STORY: Can We Save America’s Crumbling Water System?
Lead Pipes Make Up Nearly One Tenth of US Water Service Lines
A decade after the Flint crisis captured national attention, tens of thousands of US water transmission lines can still leach dangerous chemicals.
Southern Water Infrastructure at Risk From Climate Impacts
A water main breaks somewhere in the United States every two minutes, according to an estimate from the American Society of Civil Engineers.
California Water Plan Readies State for Climate-Impacted Future
A wet winter will replenish the state’s snowpack and reservoirs, but could also increase flooding and wildfire risk in some areas.
What ‘The Brutalist’ Teaches Us About Modern Cities
How architecture and urban landscapes reflect the trauma and dysfunction of the post-war experience.
USDOT Revokes Approval for NYC Congestion Pricing
Despite the administration’s stated concern for the “working class,” 85 percent of Manhattan commuters use public transit to enter the city.
Tiny House Villages for Addressing Homelessness: An Interview with Yetimoni Kpeebi
One researcher's perspective on the potential of tiny homes and owner-built housing as one tool to fight the housing crisis.
Preserving Altadena’s Trees: A Community Effort to Save a Fire-Damaged Landscape
In the wake of the Eaton Fire, Altadena Green is working to preserve fire-damaged but recoverable trees, advocating for better assessment processes, educating homeowners, and protecting the community’s urban canopy from unnecessary removal.
The VW Bus is Back — Now as an Electric Minivan
Volkswagen’s ID. Buzz reimagines its iconic Bus as a fully electric minivan, blending retro design with modern technology, a 231-mile range, and practical versatility to offer a stylish yet functional EV for the future.
Investigation Reveals Just How Badly California’s Homeless Shelters are Failing
Fraud, violence, death, and chaos follow a billion dollar investment in a temporary solution that is proving ineffective.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Economic & Planning Systems, Inc.
UCLA Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
City of Piedmont, CA
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research