Study Provides Framework for Prioritizing Investment in Drinking Water Systems

A team of researchers led by Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan, has published a study that aims to assist state and local water authorities in making decisions about where to prioritize funding for infrastructure improvements on drinking water lead service line replacement programs. The study, titled Improved Decision-Making: A Sociotechnical Utility-Based Framework for Drinking Water Investment, was published recently by the American Chemical Society in ES&T Engineering. Driven by underinvestment, the investment gap between needed and available funds for the nation’s drinking water and wastewater infrastructure is projected to grow to $136 billion by 2039. In light of such a funding