Asset management for water resources infrastructure

Abstract

This paper addresses the emerging common movement toward proactive asset management for the nation’s infrastructure, in particular the water resources infrastructure (water, wastewater, and storm water treatment facilities, collection and distribution systems). Following decades of original capital investment, we now face a mounting financial burden to sustain that infrastructure. Appropriate renewal of assets before reaching “dire-need” is the objective of proactive asset management. Failure to renew the infrastructure will lead to greater violations of water quality standards and greater costs for appropriate mitigation. The job must begin now if the water resources infrastructure is to be sustained or improved to an appropriate level of quality. But, specifically what is to be done, in what order, by whom, and who pays for it? While many managers take the position that they must wait until circumstances are more favorable, the fact is that circumstances might not improve significantly. So, what to do?