United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
RESEARCH PROJECT
National Risk Management Research Laboratory
Water Supply and Water Resources Division
Water Quality Management Branch
MULTI-SCALE INFRASTRUCTURE ASSESSMENT
IMPACT STATEMENT
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA)
multi-scale infrastructure assessment project supports
both water resource adaptation to climate change and
the rehabilitation of the nation's aging water
infrastructure by providing tools, scientific data and
information to program offices and regions. Active
involvement and participation of stakeholders in this
project by EPA offices and regions, other federal
agencies and departments, academic institutions, and
the water industry and its associations will make the
EPA's assessment process more efficient and effective.
BACKGROUND:
To assure the sustainability of the infrastructure for years to come, this multi-scale infrastructure assessment was
conducted to evaluate principal factors that will affect the future functionality of the infrastructures (wastewater,
stormwater and drinking water). In the past century, the nation has invested substantial resources in the construction of
water resources related to infrastructure to ensure uninterrupted water supply, as well as effective storm and
wastewater management. This includes extensive investment in water storage and distribution facilities in the western
and southwestern portions of the U.S. Most of these facilities are designed and built in anticipation of population
growth, demographic shifts and economic development over a 30-50 year period. This has been a common practice in
urban development planning and in utility Capital Improvement Programs (CIP). Under current engineering practice,
climate conditions are assumed stationary; however, future land use and economic developments are considered. If
climate changes occur at the level and the rate that has been predicted, and if land use and socioeconomic activities are
to adjust accordingly, many of these facilities will be forced to make major changes and adaptations.
DESCRIPTION:
The Office of Research and Development's (ORD) National Risk Management Research Laboratory has partially funded
this research project in support of its Aging Water Infrastructure (AWI) Research Program. This project will consist of a
comprehensive assessment at the national and regional levels in order to identify and characterize principal climate
changes, land use and socioeconomic factors, which could have significant effects on the future sustainability and
adaptability of water resources and infrastructure management. The project is also intended to identify and develop
adaptation strategies and techniques in order to sustain the infrastructure service functions in the future scenarios. The
forward-looking national assessment will consist of 1) analysis of future conditions affecting water and wastewater
infrastructures such as climate change, land use and socioeconomic factors; 2) short- and long-term operational
forecasting of water availability for water infrastructure management; and 3) engineering methods for watershed water
management and water treatment adaptations. The regional assessment will focus on detailed analysis of infrastructure
constraints and adaptation measures for selected regions/municipalities representative of the five hydroclimatic
provinces delineated in a completed national assessment.
National Risk Management Research Laboratory
Water Supply and Water Resources Division
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This multi-disciplinary research provides data, information and tools to water programs, utilities and other stakeholders
to create a sustainable water infrastructure adaptive to future climate change, land use and socioeconomic
development. The research takes a novel scientific approach by seamlessly integrating climate sciences, remote sensing,
hydrology modeling, water resource engineering, adaptation economics and decision science. The ultimate goal is to
produce data and tools needed for water infrastructure planning and management in watershed and local scales, and to
assist program offices, local governments and utilities for water infrastructure planning and management. In summary,
this holistic research is tasked to provide a comprehensive evaluation of the factors of different levels affecting the
nation's water infrastructures, as well as to and develop adaptation techniques to enhance the infrastructure's resilience
and sustainability.
EPA GOAL: Goal #2 - Clean & Safe Water, Objective 2.1.1- Water Safe to Drink
ORD MULTI YEAR PLAN: Drinking Water (DW), Long Term Goal - DW-1 Characterize risks associated with DW sources,
distribution, treatment, and use
RESEARCH PARTNERS :
Collaborators: EPA Office of Water (OW) , EPA Region 6, 9 and 10; University of South Illinois; National Oceanographic and
Atmospheric Administration; US Geological Survey; US Bureau of Land and Reclamation; US Army Corps of Engineers; US
Department of Agriculture; Association of Metropolitan Water Agencies; National Association of Clean Water Agencies; National
Association of Water Companies; South Florida Water District; Las Vegas Valley Water Authority; Greater Cincinnati Water District;
General Electric; Cadmus; Shaw Environmental; Pegasus; New York City (in progress)
Contractors: University of Cincinnati, University of Central Florida, Washington University, Shaw Environmental Group
EXPECTED OUTCOMES AND IMPACTS:
Expected outcomes include the comprehensive assessment of data, information and adaption technologies available to
decision makers and engineers, who adopt, regulate, and design water infrastructure technologies. Impacts from this
research include the enhancement of the nation's water infrastructure sustainability, thus effectively lowering the cost
of the overall infrastructure; increasing the effectiveness of design, operation, maintenance, rehabilitation and
replacement of aging water infrastructure; improving prioritization of critical infrastructure to inspect, monitor, and
reduce life cycle cost and infrastructure failures.
OUTPUTS:
Current and future outputs include a workshop collaborated with EPA's OW; two national assessment EPA Reports; five
Journal Articles; 18 conference presentations; five regional assessment and adaptation EPA reports; hydrologic
projection database for public access; online evaluation and calculation tools for water usage in ethanol productions;
water reuse and adaptation methods and engineering techniques; intelligent design and operation platform for green
water distribution systems and operations; and advanced water conservation methods for infrastructure adaptation.
RESOURCES:
Aging Water Infrastructure Research Program: http://www.epa.gov/awi/
Water Resource Adaptation Program (WRAP): http://www.epa.gov/nrmrl/wswrd/wqm/wrap/
EPA (2009). First National Expert and Stakeholder Workshop on Water Infrastructure Sustainability and Adaptation to
Climate Change - Conference Proceedings (EPA 600/R-09/010): http://www.epa.gov/nrmrl/wswrd/wqm/wrap/workshop.html
CONTACTS:
Y. Jeffrey Yang, Principal Investigator - (513) 569-7655 oryangjeff@epa.gov
Steven Doub, Media Relations - (513) 569-7503 ordoub.steven@epa.gov
Michelle Latham, Communications - (513) 569-7601 or latham.michelle@epa.gov
National Risk Management Research Laboratory
Water Supply and Water Resources Division
www.epa.gov/nrmrl
EPA/600/F-09/017
October 2009
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