In support of Infrastructure Week 2018, Indiana American Water is adding its voice to local advocacy conversations and taking steps to help customers better understand the toll that aging infrastructure is taking on their lives today as well as that of future generations. Indiana American Water is a subsidiary of American Water, which annually invests more than $1 billion nationwide to help address the most critical water infrastructure issues. Being held this year from May 14-21, Infrastructure Week is a national week of events, media coverage, education and issue advocacy designed to elevate infrastructure as a critical issue impacting America’s economy, society, security and future.
Central to Indiana American Water’s activities for the week, as well as year-round, is remedying America’s water and wastewater systems, which in 2017 received a D and D+ respectively in the American Society of Civil Engineers 2017 infrastructure report card.
“The U.S. has a national investment gap of $82 billion per year to bring our water and wastewater systems up to par,” said Deborah Dewey, President, Indiana American Water. “On the flip side, closing this gap has the potential of generating more than $220 billion in annual economic activity and could create 1.3 million jobs.
“The longer Americans wait to address infrastructure issues, the bigger the gap gets and the greater are the benefits that never get realized,” said Dewey. “The theme of Infrastructure Week really does say it all: Americans are waiting, the future won’t, it’s time to build.”
On a national level, American Water is investing $7.2 billion on infrastructure over the next five years, which will help create 108,000 associated new jobs. In the Hoosier state, Indiana American Water invested more than $95 million in 2017 to replace aging water mains, improve treatment and pumping facilities, rehabilitate several water storage tanks, and replace service lines, hydrants, valves and water meters.
“Indiana American Water is successfully operating and maintaining approximately 4,900 miles of water infrastructure and 29 water systems in our service areas,” said Dewey. “Nationwide, our company is doing this for approximately 50,000 miles of pipeline and 400 water systems. While this is a significant amount of water infrastructure, what we can manage and keep an eye on is only a small portion of the nation’s vast infrastructure. Governments, private funders, activist groups, businesses and individuals all need to focus on very strong, very aggressive collaboration to get done what needs to be done.”
Indiana American Water emphasizes that while water infrastructure in the U.S. is in dire need, progress has been made since the first Infrastructure Week was observed six years ago.
“Right now, more Americans support investing in our infrastructure than nearly any other issue,” said Dewey. “Our engineers and scientists have the innovative ideas and technology for solutions to continue addressing near and long term needs. Politicians and other influencers are beginning to recognize that the infrastructure investment gap cannot be solved by incremental or stop-gap solutions. Leaders are looking to advancing truly transformative projects that lead to sustainable solutions. These are all positive developments, and we feel that the more we can educate the public, the greater the momentum we can build that will bring us to significant initiatives to help our country realize the positive benefits of infrastructure that is on the path back to health.”
About Infrastructure Week
Infrastructure Week, a non-profit organization, convenes a national week of education and advocacy that brings together American businesses, workers, elected leaders, and everyday citizens around one message in 2018: Americans are waiting. The future won’t. It’s #TimeToBuild. Each year during IWeek, leaders and citizens around America highlight the state of our nation’s infrastructure – roads, bridges, rail, ports, airports, water and sewer systems, the energy grid, telecoms, and more – and the projects, technologies, and policies necessary to make America competitive, prosperous, and safe.