Bob Herbert warns that the country is allowing its water systems to deteriorate despite a widely evidenced need for upgrades.
Many of the country's water systems date back to the Civil War, and they received a collective D-minus in the American Society of Civil Engineers' last round of infrastructure grades. However, the need for major improvements remains ignored by the public and politicians, who tend to take water delivery and sewage removal for granted, says Herbert.
The corrosion of the nation's water systems is indicative of an ongoing failure of leadership when it comes to infrastructure, Herbert writes:
"If public officials would provide honest leadership on this and other infrastructure issues, making a sound case for the investments that are needed and the benefits that would accrue from rebuilding America's infrastructure, the public would be likely to sign on."
FULL STORY: The Corrosion of America

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Planning for Universal Design
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Gallatin County Department of Planning & Community Development
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
JM Goldson LLC
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
Jefferson Parish Government
Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Claremont