water systems infrastructure degradation

The spotlight is increasingly falling on the condition of the infrastructure
of water supply and treatment systems.

On a tonnage basis, in the United States, the daily water supply production by far exceeds the annual output of the oil industry¹.
Much of the world's water infrastructure is in a state of neglect.

It has been estimated that around $ 1 trillion will be required over the next 20 years to replace aging and failing water pipes in the United States alone².
The water industry is "big business" ($ 400 billion per year globally and $ 100 billion per year in the United States³).
With tightening legislation and growing population pressures, the supply of drinking water and treatment of wastewater is becoming increasingly important, in both "wealthy" and "poor" countries³.

James M. Symons: "Drinking Water: Refreshing Answers to all your Questions", Texas A& M University Press, 1995.
"The Cost of Maintaining an Aging Water Infrastructure", Materials Performance, June 2000.
"Water, Water Everywhere", Fortune Magazine, April 15, 2000.