Ahead Of Election Day, Trust in Water Asks Leaders To Keep Nation's Water Infrastructure Top Of Mind

West Orange, N.J. - As voters head to the polls on November 3, Trust in Water is asking candidates and policymakers to make water infrastructure a top priority for 2027. The nation’s drinking water, wastewater and stormwater systems are aging and underfunded in many places. Leaders taking office in January can help the country respond.

The Need Is Measured in Trillions

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency estimates drinking water systems alone need $625 billion over 20 years, 32% more than its previous assessment. The American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), which gave drinking water a C-, wastewater a D+ and stormwater a D in its 2025 Report Card for America’s Infrastructure, projects a 10-year funding gap of nearly $1 trillion across drinking water, wastewater and stormwater. That gap shows up in communities every day:

• Roughly 450,000 miles of water main have exceeded their useful lives
• About 240,000 water main breaks occur each year
• An estimated 9.2 million lead service lines remain in use
• About one-third of the water workforce will be eligible to retire within the decade

"America can no longer afford the risk of deferring investment in our critical water infrastructure. Aging and failing water infrastructure poses significant risks to public health and safety, and costs each American household hundreds of dollars per year according to ASCE and the U.S. Water Alliance’s Bridging the Gap report,” said Carol Haddock, P.E., President, American Society of Civil Engineers. “Service reliability impacts communities and impedes economic growth. Sustained and sufficient investment from both the public and private sectors is essential to addressing the backlog and preparing for the future. Our communities deserve access to safe and affordable drinking water."

Inaction comes at a cost

Deferring water infrastructure investment does not eliminate the cost. Water main breaks and other operational emergencies associated with aging infrastructure carry costs that extend well beyond repairing the broken pipe, including emergency response, water loss, service disruptions and damage to roads and other infrastructure. Investing proactively in aging water systems can help reduce these avoidable costs while improving reliability for customers and communities.

Meeting the nation’s infrastructure needs while keeping essential water service affordable will require a balanced, comprehensive approach. Solutions include sustained public and private investment, regionalization where it can create greater operational and financial capacity, collaboration between public and private entities, and the reinstatement of a permanent federal water affordability program that complement state, local and utility assistance. Together, these tools can help communities make necessary investments without placing the full burden on customers.

Solutions to Focus on in 2027

Trust in Water encourages the next Congress, state leaders and regulators to make 2027 the year the country commits to closing the gap.

• Sustain state revolving funds from diversion
• Establish a permanent federal water affordability program
• Support expanding Clean Water state revolving funding to all providers

About Trust in Water

Trust in Water is a 501(c)(4) non-profit entity created to provide education about the role of private water and wastewater providers as trusted partners in delivering safe, clean, reliable, and sustainable water solutions to communities across America. For more information on Trust in Water, please visit www.trustinh2o.com.