Preparing For "The Big One" – Protecting The Nation's Water Infrastructure

The long holiday weekend was filled with news about seismic activity in California and Nevada. An original jolt on Thursday was followed by thousands of aftershocks and an even stronger 7.1 quake on Friday, and tremblers are expected to continue for days.

Fortunately, so far, there have been no fatalities and only minor injuries; however, the area’s infrastructure has not fared as well, with estimated damages already exceeding $100 million. Radiating out from the epicenter of the quakes, some buildings and homes sustained major foundation damage, while others were destroyed by fires caused by gas leaks. The loss has been compounded in these areas by the interruption of power and water services.