Aging Infrastructure: Repair Or Replace?

Aging infrastructure, including water networks, is an ongoing problem. The American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) provides a four-year report card on the state of our infrastructure, and the water sector received a grade of “D” on the 2017 Infrastructure Report Card. Clearly, much work is needed to bring our water systems up to par. But with finances consistently tight, knowing how and where to spend is crucial.

Water Online spoke with two industry experts to learn how utilities can best make these decisions. John Lamica, Division Manager of the Cobb County- Marietta Water Authority (CCMWA), spoke from the perspective of a utility. CCMWA is a large regional wholesale water supplier in Georgia. Water flows through over 200 miles of prestressed concrete and ductile iron (DI) pipe ranging from 16 to 64 inches in diameter; most of the original pipe was installed in the 1950s and 1960s.

Cody Snell, District Engineer of Mueller Co., provided information from the point of view of a manufacturer. Mueller has been a preferred source of innovative water distribution products for over 150 years.