February 2025 Vol. 80 No. 2
Editor's Log
Editor’s Log: The burning bus of blame
By Robert Carpenter, Editor-in-Chief
(UI) — As I was completing the number crunching and analysis of the 28th Annual Underground Infrastructure Municipal Survey (included in this issue), it just struck me as amazing how gargantuan the United States’ sewer, water and storm water infrastructure has become during that brief window of time.
The mere size and scope of our infrastructure continues its growth at a phenomenal rate. The modernization of America’s underground systems has required immense, steady and rapid expansion. Unfortunately, that growth has also translated into decay.
Decay of older systems, mismanagement and under-estimating needs have become the bane of our current sewer and water networks. Worse, too many cities are without the political backbone to face the unfortunate truth that an effective – and healthy – infrastructure system requires a financial commitment, along with a clear vision of care; a vision that refreshes, repairs and expands a sewer/water system to meet the needs of its citizens.
To do anything less is the equivalent of recklessly risking our safe and healthy water/wastewater processes that make us a modern, first-world nation. Never in my life did I think that any of our nation’s systems would be referred to as “third-world” status. But over the past few years, it has happened far more often than it should have.
For the most part, municipal survey respondents were upbeat and positive about the short-term work underway and projects for 2025. The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act brought billions into state and local city coffers, beginning in 2022, and the money train is scheduled to continue through 2026.
City staffs are also optimistic about their local economies in the era of new government direction. This is a good thing, as cities still believe hundreds of billions in spending is needed to ultimately regain the equilibrium of spending versus needs of maintenance, expansion and renewal of sewer infrastructure.
And then there is our water problem. Not only are water pipes in almost as bad condition as sewer, but the issue of potentially dangerous leaching lead pipes also came to light in 2015 at Flint, Mich. Since that time, both the state and Federal government have scrambled to initiate steps to eliminate lead pipe.
The lead pipe issue proved to be just the beginning of America’s water crisis popping up around the country. Water system maintenance and subsequent health concerns – and sometimes disasters – continue to plague cities and towns in every state.
Further, droughts, particularly in the Western U.S., have demonstrated that water is a precious element and mismanagement of that resource has profound consequences. And I’m not just talking about potable water. A large section of the City of Los Angels in California became a blazing inferno last January, destroying miles of homes and businesses, and taking 29 lives. The lack of an adequate water distribution system contributed to low pressure in the wake of fire fighters rushing to control the flames.
Worse, a key water reservoir was empty, and too many areas simply ran out of water to combat this disaster. Further, the hills and gulleys in and around Los Angeles, replete with dense bushes and underbrush, could have tempered the magnitude of the fires if recommended cleaning and trimming protocols had been followed.
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass and California Governor Gavin Newsom have been busy tiptoeing around the issues of preparedness and response for weeks. The good governor has already announced a probe of water issues during the wildfires.
“I have directed state water and firefighting officials to prepare an independent after-incident report examining the causes of lost water supply and water pressure in municipal water systems during the fire events, and to identify measures that local government can implement to provide adequate water supply for emergency response during future catastrophic events," the governor stated.
Basically, Newsom is throwing Mayor Bass under the bus of blame. Recall petitions are already being circulated for both politicians. The fallout will continue for some time as the citizens of Los Angeles look to rebuild their lives and find answers in the rubble.
Worst of all, it was so pointless. Never underestimate the overwhelming importance of maintaining systems and preparation. No one had to die.
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