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Combating Water Woes

PHILADELPHIA-With some water mains here dating back to 1824, the Philadelphia Water Department has invested some serious dollars in leak detection and groundwater recycling systems.

By Alyson Grala | Updated on May 03, 2010

PHILADELPHIA-The nation’s vast infrastructure needs offer an opportunity to create much-needed jobs while making the lasting, integrated infrastructure investments that will lay the foundation for future prosperity. The 2010 infrastructure report–the fourth in an annual series produced by the Urban Land Institute and Ernst & Young–examines global infrastructure trends and, for the first time, addresses water issues in depth. “Water is the hidden infrastructure conundrum, with aging pipes and inadequate systems running headlong into rapid population growth in America’s most water-constrained regions,” reads the report, including Philadelphia, where some water mains date back to 1824.

It’s no wonder then that the city undertook a leak detection program back in 2008, which has now surveyed 1,113 miles of pipeline for leaks and abated more than 36 million gallons of leakage per day, representing a cost savings of over $1.77 million, according to the Philadelphia Water Department. In 2009 alone, PWD replaced 10 miles of main. What’s more, the department’s 1994 to 2009 15-year moving average level of 224 breaks per 1,000 miles is less than the national average of 270 breaks every 1,000 miles, and is the lowest level in more than 20 years.

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