Water Main Breaks Becoming a “Normal” Sign of Summer I hope all of our UCANE members have remained busy during this very hot and unusual summer. I also hope our members have found time to spend with their families and enjoy some of the things that make Summer in New England so special: a trip to the Cape, a day at the beach, a round of golf, a hike in the Berkshires, or any activity that helps to provide some normalcy during these difficult times. However, one Summer issue that continues to be an ongoing “normal” occurrence is the large number of water main breaks due to our aging underground infrastructure.
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he UCANE staff tracks these breaks, and in the past few weeks, we have seen major breaks in Springfield, Arlington, South Boston, Holyoke, Hamilton, Holliston, Tewksbury, and Malden. These breaks cause major disruptions and pose a significant public health threat. Every day, 850 water main breaks occur in North America at a total annual repair cost of over $3 billion. This cost estimate doesn’t include emergency equipment, lost water, traffic disruptions, and lost work time. The cause for the overwhelming majority of these breaks is that the pipes were old. The Springfield break, which resulted in 2.1 million gallons of untreated wastewater going into the Connecticut River, was caused by the failure of a 36-inch main that dates back to 1907. Most cities and towns are aware that their water infrastructure is out of date, but they simply lack the resources to repair or replace their underground pipes. The water infrastructure funding gap is currently at an estimated $17 billion–$20 billion over the next 20 years, and the recent pandemic has the potential to delay work and significantly increase this gap. AUGUST, 2020
The economic impact of COVID-19 is not only being felt now, but will continue to be felt in the months and years ahead. There is little doubt that our elected officials have some extremely difficult decisions to make with the reduction in revenue that will undoubtedly occur. However, it is imperative that our federal, state, and local officials prioritize our water infrastructure and not delay these much-needed projects. Not only are they imperative for public health and safety, but they are also crucial to economic recovery. Public works projects not only provide good-paying jobs for construction workers, they also provide significant economic growth opportunities, as our local businesses can only recover and grow if they have access to reliable and safe water and wastewater systems.
UCANE will continue to strongly advocate for stimulus funds and regulatory relief as we continue to navigate through this crisis. We need an ongoing and dedicated investment in our drinking water, wastewater, and underground utility systems NOW when they are needed most. n
“BUY FROM THE ADVERTISERS IN CONSTRUCTION OUTLOOK”
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