Aging Wastewater Infrastructure

alaskan lake surrounded by majestic mountains

Goal 2: Protecing America's Waters

Wastewater Collection Systems

Introduction

The National Risk Management Research Laboratory (NRMRL) conducts research to assist wastewater utilities. The overall goal of this research is to generate the science and engineering to improve and evaluate promising innovative technologies. This will help reduce the cost and improve the effectiveness of operation, maintenance, and replacement of our wastewater treatment and conveyance systems. Issues of concern for the utilities fall into four major areas that generally conform to and support comprehensive asset management:

Condition assessment
System rehabilitation
Advanced concepts
Innovative treatment technologies for wastewater and water reuse

Condition Assessment – This encompasses the collection of data and information through direct inspection, observation, and investigation; indirect monitoring and reporting; and analysis of the data and information. The data and information are used to make a determination of the structural, operational, and performance status of capital infrastructure assets.

System Rehabilitation – This the application of infrastructure repair, renewal, and replacement technologies in an effort to return functionality to a wastewater system or subsystem. The decision-making process for determining the proper balance of repair, renewal, and replacement is a function of the condition assessment, the life-cycle cost of the various rehabilitation options, and the related risk reductions.

Advanced Concepts – These relate to the application or adoption of innovative infrastructure designs, management procedures, and operational approaches. These designs, procedures, and approaches may substantially improve the capability to meet or exceed current and future wastewater collection system performance, reliability, and sustainability goals with greater efficiency and cost effectiveness than is feasible with current systems.

Innovative Treatment Technologies – These technologies address the dynamic requirements for improved water quality and the growing demands for safe and reliable reclaimed wastewater and stormwater. There is a growing challenge to more effectively manage and treat peak wet-weather flows at wastewater treatment plants; the emphasis is on the effectiveness of pathogen reduction. Research includes assessing and developing improved approaches for use by publicly owned treatment works, and investigating peak wet-weather flows and treatment of sewage sludge (biosolids) for field application.

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Environmental Issue or Problem

The drinking water treatment plants and distribution lines, sewer lines, and storage facilities that we rely on for clean and safe water are aging, some to the point of deterioration and even failure. So aging water infrastructure is one of the top national water program priorities.

Water infrastructure systems are critical to public health and to economic development and growth. Disruptions in this service may expose the public to water-borne contaminants and cause damage to roadways and structures, endangering lives and resulting in billions of dollars in losses. (Source: ASCE’s Report Card for America’s Infrastructure).

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