Basic Information

President Obama has called for water and wastewater infrastructure projects with an investment of $6 billion.

Our nation’s water infrastructure needs an upgrade. The drinking water treatment plants and distribution lines, sewer lines, and storage facilities that we rely on for clean and safe water are aging, some to the point of deterioration and even failure.

Background
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) functions as both a scientific and regulatory agency of the United States. Research conducted under EPA's Office of Research and Development (ORD) provides the basis for formulating environmental policies and programs and supports their implementation. ORD's National Risk Management Research Laboratory (NRMRL) research mission plays a vital role for EPA:  Advance scientific and engineering solutions that enable the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and others, to effectively manage current and future environmental risks.

In fiscal year 2007, NRMRL initiated the Aging Water Infrastructure (AWI) Research Program, in support of EPA’s Sustainable Water Infrastructure Initiative (SI).  The goal of the AWI Research Program  is to generate the science and engineering to improve and evaluate promising innovative technologies and techniques to reduce the cost and improve the effectiveness of operation, maintenance, and replacement of aging and failing drinking water and wastewater treatment and conveyance systems. EPA’s 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 meet future needs. Research results from the AWI Research Program will assist these entities to more effectively implement comprehensive asset management, provide reliable service to their customers, and meet their Clean Water Act and Safe Drinking Water Act requirements.

Research Plan
In March 2006, over 50 individuals representing key stakeholder organizations, and considered technical experts in the field, were brought together for a two-day workshop to identify research needs relating to drinking water and wastewater infrastructure.  The products from that workshop were a detailed meeting report and a comprehensive research issues report that served as foundation documents, and helped to identify critical research gaps that led to the recommendations in the Research Plan for the AWI Research Program.

Each section of the plan presents important background information, analyzes the “state of the technology,” and poses important research questions that need to be answered to move the “state of the technology” forward through innovation. Below are the building blocks that lead to the development the AWI Research Program, and the current milestones that will ensure the continued scientific integrity of the program:

• Experts Workshop (March 2006): Provided input and established the foundation for the development and focus of this national water infrastructure research initiative
• Research Issues Report (July 2006): Supported the development of the Research Plan by revealing gaps between research priorities identified by stakeholders and current on-going/planned research
• AWI Research Plan (April 2007): Externally peer reviewed research plan completed
• AWI Research Program (August 2007): Program Initiated
• Science Advisory Board Consultation (SAB) (September 2009):  Anticipated SAB consultation report

Research Goal
To generate the science and engineering to improve and evaluate promising innovative technologies and techniques to reduce the cost and improve the effectiveness of operation, maintenance, and replacement of aging and failing drinking water and wastewater treatment and conveyance systems.

The Program
The program is based on a public-private research approach and is conducted in cooperation with key stakeholders to ensure that outputs meet users’ needs, and to optimize collaboration and technology transfer.  ORD is best suited to provide the overall leadership of this research program.  This recognition is based on ORD’s mission, breadth of perspective, impartiality, objectivity, experience, and scientific and technical capability.  A renewed ORD presence in water infrastructure research serves as a catalyst for innovation and will enhance the opportunities for collaboration and leveraging with relevant Federal and international research programs, states, academia, and utilities.

The Program’s research encompasses infrastructure condition assessment, system rehabilitation, infusion of advanced design and management concepts, and evaluation of innovative treatment technologies for wastewater and water reuse, and is aligned with the Program’s research strategies:

1. Provide critical research to the Office of Water’s Sustainable Water Infrastructure Initiative, and to water and wastewater utilities
2. Determine the innovative technologies that can cost-effectively improve performance and extend the life of existing infrastructure
3. Conduct national assessments to identify the effects of major influencing factors on future system threats and demands
4. Develop new designs and approaches that will maintain the long-term performance of water infrastructure
5. Determine the factors that affect infrastructure deterioration to predict and prevent system failure

Recent National Developments
Aging water infrastructure is currently one of the top national water program priorities, and is one of the top priorities of the U.S. Conference of Mayors. As a result of the 2009 economic stimulus package, President Obama has called for an investment of $6 billion for drinking water and wastewater infrastructure, and there is anticipation of an increase in water and wastewater infrastructure projects. In 2009, as it did in 2005, our nation’s wastewater and drinking water systems received D-minus ratings by the American Society of Civil Engineers.

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