Water infrastructure

How does ASCE define water infrastructure?

Water infrastructure includes more than 2.2 million miles of underground pipes carrying clean drinking water, more than 16,000 wastewater treatment plants, and networks of concrete storm sewers, roadside ditches, and flood control reservoirs to mitigate flooding from stormwater. Water infrastructure includes drinking water, wastewater, and stormwater.

Related ASCE policy statements

• PS 243 – Groundwater Management
• PS 332 – Water Reuse
• PS 361 – Safe Drinking Water
• PS 395 – Combined Sewer Systems
• PS 407 – Desalination
• PS 420 – Clean Water Act Reauthorization
• PS 429 – Municipal Wastewater Biosolids
• PS 441 – Stormwater Management
• PS 461 – Non-Point Source Pollution
• PS 480 – Water Infrastructure and Facilities Construction Funding

Talking points

1. The nation’s drinking water infrastructure system is made up of 2.2 million miles of underground pipes delivering safe and reliable water to millions of people.
2. 16,000 wastewater treatment plants currently function, on average, at 81 percent of their design capacities; 15 percent of these facilities have reached or exceeded their design capacity.
3. Stormwater utilities can be found in more than 40 states but increases in urban flooding are placing increased strain on these systems.
4. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law made a historic investment of $50 billion for water infrastructure through the Clean Water and Drinking Water State Revolving Fund programs. ASCE will work to ensure that Congress upholds these investments in the annual appropriations process in the upcoming year.

ASCE advocacy highlights

• December 4, 2023 – Coalition letter to House Committee on Energy & Commerce in support of H.R. 2694, the Wastewater Infrastructure Pollution Prevention and Environmental Safety (WIPPES) Act
• April 21, 2023 – Resilience coalition letter to Congressional appropriators supporting funding for IIJA water infrastructure programs
• June 14, 2022 – Coalition letter to House and Senate Appropriations Committees supporting full FY 2023 funding for IIJA authorized water infrastructure programs
• May 21, 2021 – Letter to Congress in support of H.R. 3293, the Low-Income Water Customer Assistance Program Act of 2021
• May 12, 2021 – Statement for the Record to U.S. Senate on the nomination of Radhika Fox to be Assistant Administrator for Water of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
• May 5, 2022 – ASCE letter to House appropriators on FY 2023 Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies appropriations bill
• May 4, 2021 – Letter to Congress in support of H.R. 1915, the Water Quality Protection and Job Creation Act of 2021
• May 2021 – Memorandum on water infrastructure legislation in the 117th Congress
• April 19, 2021 – Letter to Congress on support of S. 914 (Drinking Water and Wastewater Infrastructure Act)

ASCE staff contact

Matthew McGinn – Senior Manager, Government Relations