United for Infrastructure 2020 Focuses on Education and Advocacy

AMERICAN Cast Iron Pipe Company will once again participate in United for Infrastructure 2020, formerly Infrastructure Week, September 14-21, 2020. The goal is to raise awareness about the need for investment in U.S. infrastructure and the importance of infrastructure to the nation’s economy, workers and communities. United for Infrastructure is a nonprofit organization led by a Steering Committee consisting of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), Value of Water Campaign and National Association of Manufacturers, among others.

“I take great pride in working for a manufacturing company that supports our nation’s infrastructure,” said ADIP/ASWP Marketing Services Manager Maury D. Gaston. “Our products contribute to public health through clean water, to public safety through fire protection, to economic strength through energy production and to agriculture and mining through machinery. These products built and continue to build the U.S. and the world.”

According to the American Water Works Association (AWWA) and the Water Environment Federation, the U.S. currently has approximately 800,000 miles of water pipes and 700,000 miles of wastewater pipes. The average age of these pipelines is 60 to 130 years, and they are reaching the end of their service life. The most recent ASCE Infrastructure Report Card graded our drinking water infrastructure a “D” and our wastewater infrastructure a “D+.”

A 2020 report from the ASCE and Value of Water Campaign on the economic benefits of investing in water infrastructure found the U.S. needs to invest a total of $109 billion annually over the next 20 years to close the water infrastructure gap. These investments would not only protect the nation’s water systems, but also generate more than $220 billion in annual economic activity and create 1.3 million jobs. The report also found that the top issues for utility professionals remain renewal and replacement of aging water and wastewater infrastructure, and funding for capital improvement projects.

The National Association of Clean Water Agencies estimates that the resulting financial impact on wastewater utilities will be even higher, around $16.8 billion. These financial challenges related to the pandemic are in addition to the financial strains water and wastewater utilities were already facing to upgrade and invest in their infrastructure.

So where do we go from here? The ASCE and Value of Water Campaign’s report found a growing need for a coordinated investment at the federal, state and local levels. Initiatives such as United for Infrastructure, Imagine a Day Without Water and others all raise awareness about the need for investment and the risks to public health and safety if nothing is done.

To learn more about United for Infrastructure 2020, visit unitedforinfrastructure.org.