COVID-19 Strategies: Mitigating Pipe Failure Risk During Revenue Uncertainty

By Travis Wagner

Quantifying the value of water is an overwhelming task. A physical asset evaluation would assume that our national water treatment and pipe infrastructure has a value of over $3.6 trillion with nearly 60 percent of the value underground. A holistic approach would describe the value being essential to all life. Under a global pandemic, a pragmatic acceptance of the value of water entails the “cost of service” to provide high quality drinking water to our hospitals, homes and businesses 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year. This cost of service of a water quantity, quality and delivery service level to protect the public health and fight against COVID-19 requires each utility to assess and maintain their underground pipe systems.