Exploring Infrastructure Grades, Challenges, and Solutions for U.S. Drinking Water & Wastewater Systems
Overview of the Webinar
On December 11, ASCE hosted an insightful webinar titled “Making the Grade: Drinking Water & Wastewater” to examine critical issues and solutions shaping U.S. water infrastructure. This discussion provided an overview of the 2025 Report Card for America’s Infrastructure and offered expert perspectives on the state of drinking water and wastewater systems nationwide.
2025 Infrastructure Report Card Grades
Drinking Water and Wastewater are two of the 18 categories the 2025 report card. Their grades are unchanged from 2021, with Drinking Water receiving a C-, while Wastewater is graded at D+.
Despite increased federal investment in recent years, local funding challenges and aging infrastructure continue to hinder progress. Unsustainable financing and deteriorating and aging water pipes and facilities remain major obstacles.
Innovative Solutions and Case Studies
The webinar highlighted promising strategies and technologies:
- Wichita, Kansas: Addressing infrastructure renewal through strategic investment.
- Northeast Ohio: Implementing advanced wastewater treatment solutions.
- Artificial Intelligence: Research into AI-driven water efficiency improvements shows potential for reducing waste and optimizing operations.
Expert Panelists
- Samir Mathur, Senior Vice President and Water Reclamation Practice Leader, CDM Smith
- Lita Laven, Manager of Design – Plants, Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District
- Sunil Sinha, Professor & Director, Virginia Tech Sustainable Water Infrastructure Management Institute
- Celine Hyer, Senior Vice President, ARCADIS
Watch the Webinar
Catch the full recording and presentation slides:
ASCE appreciates the support of CDM Smith for their sponsorship of this educational opportunity!