On Feb. 17, 2009, less than a month after assuming office, President Barack Obama signed into law the $787 billion American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA).

Each day, more Americans are confronting an unsettling fact of life in the 21st century: our supplies of clean, dependable, affordable water are more fragile than at any time in our history.

Today, utility providers around the world are being forced to confront a 21st century problem: How to more effectively manage their regions? natural resources to supply water and other critical services to their customers, while contending with aging infrastructure, population growth and limited resources.

ADS, Can Clay Corp., CertainTeed, Gajeske Inc., Hobas Pipe, iNTERpipe, Logan Clay, Snap-Tite, & Underground Solutions

The independent spirit and can-do attitude of our American heritage is alive and well in rural southeastern Idaho, where board members of the Fairview Water District rejected the opinion of state regulators and embraced new HDPE technology.

Though often undervalued, water is not a given in this country. In fact, by 2025, water demand is expected to outpace supply by 50 percent.

Bill Shook (right) of AP/M Permaform talks to UIM Publisher Bernie Krzys at the UIM Conference December 15, 2009, at IUPUI in Indianapolis.

IUPUI Professor Tom Iseley (left) talks to UIM Publisher Bernie Krzys at the UIM Conference December 15, 2009, at IUPUI in Indianapolis.

The UIM Conference Series is heading to Blacksburg, Va., March 10 for its Water/Wastewater Management Conference.

The Water Environment Research Foundation (WERF) will receive $10 million in U.S Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) funds to evaluate new technologies that will help utilities cope with aging and failing water and wastewater systems.