Title: US EPA Sustainable Infrastructure for Water & Wastewater 
Resource Type: web links 
Producers or distributor US EPA 
Author / Producer Type: Agency, regulator or other governmental or inter-governmental body 
Web link for product information: http://www.epa.gov/waterinfrastructure/index.html  
EUGRIS Keyword(s): Water and sanitation-->Wastewater
Water and sanitation-->Water and sanitation
Water and sanitation-->Water and sanitation Overview
Water and sanitation-->Water supply
 
Short description: America's drinking and wastewater infrastructure is aging and the costs and environmental risks due to failure are sobering. Some 240,000 drinking water mains break each year costing billions in lost water. Wastewater collection systems experience thousands of sanitary sewer overflows annually, discharging billions of gallons of untreated wastewater into the environment. A recent EPA analysis of the potential funding gap in U.S. infrastructure needs by the year 2020, developed in collaboration with key stakeholders from government, academia, and professional and trade associations, projected that if operation, maintenance, and capital investment remain at current levels, the potential funding shortage for drinking water and wastewater infrastructure could exceed $500 billion. To address these concerns, EPA has initiated a new program in aging water infrastructure (AWI) research called 'Innovation and Research for Water Infrastructure for the 21st Century,' and has invited stakeholders to participate in its implementation. The program examines three major areas: condition assessment, rehabilitation, and advanced concepts in design, management, and operation of water systems. The program focuses on both drinking water and wastewater conveyance systems. This story outlines the plans for addressing aging wastewater collection systems. Wastewater Collection Systems There are more than 600,000 miles of wastewater sewer lines in the United States. Their function is to transport wastewater from a variety of community sources, including sewage, industrial wastewater, and storm water (in combined systems) to points of treatment and disposal. Collection systems vary widely, with differing networks of pipes, pumping systems, and other equipment, some with components over 100 years old. Early communities simply piped storm water and sanitary waste directly into the nearest body of water. Later, combined storm water and sanitary systems separated wastes for transport to primitive treatment plants that removed solids via screening and settling--with characteristic problems of odor. Today, these combined systems in many U.S. cities deal effectively with wastewater in dry weather, but the problem of combined system overflows during heavy rainfalls remains a persistent problem. Here are some additional facts: - There are up to 75,000 sanitary sewer overflows per year in the U.S. - These overflows discharge 3-10 billion gallons of untreated wastewater annually into local waterways. - Up to 3,700 illnesses annually are due to exposure to contamination from sanitary sewer overflows into recreational waters. To communicate information about the wastewater collection system aspects of the AWI research program, NRMRL water quality researchers have developed three Science Briefs featuring (1) Condition Assessment, (2) Rehabilitation, and (3) Advanced Concepts. The briefs describe current issues, state of the technology, and new research for each of the three areas. They also include an invitation to utilities, vendors, researchers, academics, trade and professional water associations, and other government agencies to collaborate in the program. 
Link to Organisation(s): EPA Environmental Protection Agency
 
Submitted By: Professor Paul Bardos WhoDoesWhat?      Last update: 07/12/2007

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