Aging WAter infrAstructure 

www.epa.gov ReseaRch PRogRam

Addressing the Challenge

Through INNOvATION

Office of research and Development

National Risk Management Research Laboratory
Aging WAter infrAstructure 

ReseaRch PRogRam

“Our nation’s extensive water infrastructure has the capacity to 

treat, store, and transport trillions of gallons of water and wastewater 

per day through millions of miles of pipelines. However, as our 

infrastructure deteriorates, there are increasing concerns about the 

ability of this infrastructure to keep up with our future needs.

As part of our effort to address these concerns . . . OrD initiated 

a new water infrastructure research program. this program will 

generate the science and engineering needed to evaluate promising, 

innovative technologies to repair existing and provide new water 

infrastructure, and that improve effectiveness at reduced cost.”

Drinking Water Distribution systems

• There are 240,000 water main breaks per year in the 

united states.

• The number of breaks increases substantially near the 

end of the system’s service life.

 – Large utility breaks in the midwest increased 

from 250 per year to 2,200 per year during a 

19-year period.

 – In 2003, baltimore, maryland, reported 1,190 

water main breaks—that’s more than three per day.

• a 2005 british study correlated self-reported diarrhea 

with low water-pressure events (including water main 

breaks).

• The u.s. geological survey estimates that water lost 

from water distribution systems is 1.7 trillion gallons 

per year at a national cost of $2.6 billion per year.

Wastewater collection systems

• There are up to 75,000 sanitary sewer overflows per 

year in the united states, resulting in the discharge of 

3–10 billion gallons of untreated wastewater.

• up to 3,700 illnesses annually are due to exposure 

to recreational water contaminated by sanitary sewer 

overflows.

• In 1989, sanitary sewer overflows in cabool, missouri, 

contaminated drinking water distribution lines, 

causing 243 cases of diarrhea and 4 deaths.

• In 1993, direct contact with a discharge of untreated 

sewage in ocoee, Florida, resulted in 39 cases of 

hepatitis a.

Office of research and Development

National Risk Management Research Laboratory
The aging Water Infrastructure (aWI) research program 

is part of ePa’s larger effort called the sustainable 

Water Infrastructure (sI) initiative. The sI initiative 

brings together drinking water and wastewater 

utility managers; trade associations; local watershed 

protection organizations; and federal, state, and local 

officials to ensure that all components of our nation’s 

water infrastructure—drinking water treatment plants, 

drinking water distribution lines, sewer lines, and 

storage facilities—meet future needs.

The aWI research program supports the four priority 

areas of the sI initiative’s strategy:

• better management – moving beyond compliance 

to sustainability and improved performance

• Full-cost pricing – helping utilities to recognize the 

full cost of providing service over the long term

• Water efficiency – Promoting water efficiency in 

the residential and commercial sectors

• The watershed approach – Integrating watershed 

management principles and tools into utility 

planning and management practices
balance of the repair, renewal, and replacement depends 

on the condition assessment, the life-cycle costs of various 

rehabilitation options, and the related risk reductions.

Advanced concepts Developing advanced concepts relates 

to the application of innovative infrastructure designs, 

management procedures, and operational approaches. The 

infusion of these advanced concepts into an established 

system is especially challenging; for example, the innovative 

concept could be a retrofit solution, but compatibility 

with the in-place system is critical. advanced concepts 

go beyond asset management to include maximizing the 

benefits from low-impact development, water reuse, source 

water protection, and watershed management.

innovative treatment technologies for Wastewater and 

Water reuse These technologies address the dynamic 

requirements for improved water quality and the growing 

demand for safe and reliable reclaimed wastewater and 

storm water. For example, wet-weather flows at water 

treatment plants must be managed more effectively in 

order to reduce pathogen content. and there are new 

challenges relating to the capability of pharmaceuticals and 

personal care products to interfere with, and even inhibit, 

the wastewater treatment process. controlling nitrogen and 

phosphorous is a growing priority, especially in the basins 

that drain into the mississippi River, the great Lakes, and 

the chesapeake bay. In Florida, california, and the arid 

southwest, the use of reclaimed wastewater and storm 

water is rapidly increasing. There is accelerated demand 

for wastewater treatment technologies to be more energy 

efficient and to produce smaller volumes of residuals.

Projects under the aWI research program include 

technology demonstrations; state-of-the-technology 

assessments; applied research; field applications; basic 

research; and bench-scale, pilot-scale, and controlledcondition testing. The projects will focus on:

• optimizing repair, rehabilitation, and replacement

• extending the service life of installed drinking water 

and wastewater system components

• Reducing system failures and their adverse effects 

on public health and the environment

• Reducing sewer overflows and backups

• evaluating the performance and cost of innovative 

technologies and approaches

• Investigating advanced system design and 

management concepts

•
Our drinking water and 

wastewater systems 

are aging. Some 

components are more 

than 100 years old.
Aging WAter infrAstructure 

www.epa.gov ReseaRch PRogRam

 EPA/600/F-07/015 | September 2007 | www.epa.gov

the Door is Open for collaboration

ePa, whose primary role is that of advocate for a sustainable water 

infrastructure, is only one partner in this effort. The aWI research 

program presents opportunities for utilities, vendors, researchers, 

academics, water associations (trade and professional), and other 

agencies and organizations to collaborate. In fact, the success of the 

program depends on stakeholder involvement, sharing information 

and tools, and working together toward the long-term stewardship 

of our water infrastructure.

ePa InvITes you To PaRTIcIPaTe by 

conTacTIng:

Daniel J. Murray, Jr., P.e. 

senior environmental engineer 

Aging Water infrastructure research Program 

513-569-7522 • murray.dan@epa.gov

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency 

Office of Research and Development 

National Risk Management Research Laboratory 

Cincinnati, OH 45268

Office of Research and Development

National Risk Management Research Laboratory

Cincinnati, OH 45268

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