America’s water infrastructure is behind the times. With over 240,000 water main breaks annually, and only 3.8% of wastewater being reused, the country’s water systems scored a D from the American Society of Civil Engineers on its 2013 report card.
What’s the problem? To start, water infrastructure faces obstacles common to all publicly-controlled infrastructure, including officials unwilling to risk failure for innovation. But water management is also unique, Henry Grabar writes, in that public-safety regulations keep private investors from getting involved in new clean-water technologies.
How can we fix it? Historically, most innovation in the field of water management has been borne of shortages and other crises. It’s time to change our approach. After all, Grabar points out, the developing world, too, often relies on Western expertise to solve its water problems.
Read the full story: Why Is There So Little Innovation in Water Infrastructure?
St. Louis has a Secret Stormwater Weapon Saving 100 Million Gallons from the Mississippi
The city reimburses residents who install gardens, rain barrels, and other methods that retain stormwater and decrease the risk of flooding.
Arizona Governor Pledges $1 Billion to Water Infrastructure
The billion-dollar investment in the state's water supplies sounds good on paper, but lawmakers must also distribute funding effectively to mitigate the state's urgent water shortage.
Voters to Decide on Repair of Vital Aqueduct for San Joaquin Valley
California voters in November will have the opportunity to help repair the Friant-Kern Canal, damaged by subsidence, as well as invest in watershed conservation programs, by passing a citizen-initiated $8.9 billion general obligation bond measure.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
Amtrak, CN end decades-long dispute with eight-year agreement
The new operating agreement establishes an updated framework for the companies to work together, including processes to resolve disputes.
Judges permit Denver to divert 77,000 acre feet from the Colorado River for reservoir expansion
Overuse and climate change have caused the Colorado River’s water levels to plummet.
NYC DOT wants faster, more permanent street upgrades
The city is examining ways to build more concrete infrastructure without getting entangled in 'decades-long' projects.
'Something we’ve never seen before:' rising utility rates could strain city finances nationwide
Data centers, climate change and other factors have caused utility rates in the United States to increase by 38% since 2020.
Trump to overrule local leaders, lease millions of acres of America’s Pacific Island territories’ seafloors to mining companies
International law says that the Indigenous people of America’s territories have a right to prior and informed consent regarding projects that impact their countries.
FREE Course: Walkable City 1: Why Walkability?
After describing his path towards focusing on walkability as the essence of good planning, Jeff Speck marches through his five principal reasons for making more walkable places.
Reinventing Malls: Planning Alchemy—Turning Gray Fields Into Gold
The course focuses on the opportunities and imperatives that shape reinvention of mall sites.
Harvard University Graduate School of Design
KFH Group Inc.
Greater Baltimore Committee
The Architects Foundation
University of Cincinnati Online
The Pocatello Development Authority
The Urban Renewal Agency of the City of Pocatello