Aided by the health crisis in Flint, Mich., and the upcoming election, efforts to fix the nation’s water infrastructure have captured politicians’ attention. Last month, the U.S. Senate passed the $10.6 billion Water Resources Development Act whose overwhelming 95-3 vote shows broad bipartisan support.
While this action represents a positive step, it’s a mere drop in the bucket of the work that needs to be done. The American Society of Civil Engineers states only 30% of U.S. water and wastewater infrastructure needs between 2016 and 2025 are funded, leaving an investment gap of $105 billion.