75 percent of drinking water and wastewater treatment plants employ asset management practices

WASHINGTON, Sept. 27—With cities responsible for the lion’s share of maintaining quality water and wastewater services, The U.S. Conference of Mayors released today a national survey that examines the status of asset management programs in water and sewer services in major cities. The report was released at the Mayor’s Annual Water Summit in San Francisco and shows how cities use asset management programs, which offer cost-efficient ways to acquire, operate, maintain and rehabilitate water and sewer systems.

While providing water and sewer services are considered a “government enterprise” the federal government share is minimal. Currently the federal government spends about 1% for water and 5% in wastewater services, while local governments are responsible for more than 95 percent of all investment in water and sewer services and infrastructure in the United States

In 2005, local governments spent $82 billion on public water and sewer services. Overall spending was greater than $841 billion from 1991 to 2005. The Conference of Mayors estimates that local governments spending for water and sewer services will increase to $110 billion annually by 2010. Unfortunately this figure does not include added climate change impact on water resources that are certain, but yet unknown.  With water and sewer rates continuing to increase to meet the rising costs of maintenance and improvements, cities are finding it harder and harder to keep pace.

By cities including asset-management practices into their water and sewer services, consumer payments and taxes are being used more efficiently.
Out of 330 cities that responded to the survey, some of the major findings are:

—Roughly 75 percent of drinking water and wastewater (sewer) treatment
plants employ comprehensive or partial asset management practices.

—More than 90 percent of cities have conducted full or partial
inventories and condition assessments of their water and sewer pipes,
and more than 70 percent have implemented a full or partial asset
management program for their water and sewer pipes.

—Water main breaks continue to be a major concern, and repair and
replacement cycles can exceed 100 years.

—Most cities support using asset management programs but are opposed to
a Congressional mandate that would make it a prerequisite to receive
federal financial assistance.

—Some cities are achieving capital cost and operating cost savings from
implementation of asset management programs, but 50 to 60 percent
expect to achieve savings in the future.

A copy of the Report: “NATIONAL CITY WATER SURVEY 2007: The Status of Asset Management Programs in Public Water and Sewer Infrastructure in America’s Major Cities,” can be found at http://www.usmayors.org/urbanwater

The U.S. Conference of Mayors is the official nonpartisan organization of cities with populations of 30,000 or more.  There are 1,139 such cities in the country today, each represented in the Conference by its chief elected official, the Mayor.

Source: U.S. Conference of Mayors