M.D. council hears data about water main breaks

By Heather Cameron
Taber Times
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

During a recent M.D. of Taber Council meeting, Council reviewed a letter that was sent to Reeve Miyanaga and the rest of Council from Gregory M. Baird, President of the Water Finance Research Foundation, that outlines an academic study from Utah State University had undertaken with respect to underground water infrastructure titled ‘Water Main Break Rates in the U.S.A. and Canada: A Comprehensive Study’ authored by Professor Steven L. Barfuss, P.E., Research Professor at USU in the Civil and Environmental Engineering Department and Associate Director at the Utah Water Research Laboratory.

Baird’s letter explained that a total of 802 utilities responded to the survey and submissions were received from 49 out of 50 states in the U.S. and all 10 provinces in Canada, contributing to an analysis on almost 400,000 miles of pipe. This pipe mileage, Baird’s letter says, represents 17.1 per cent out of an estimated 2.3 million miles of water mains installed in the U.S. and Canada. Baird’s letter also explained that the report was featured in the Spring 2024 issue of “Mayors Water Council Newsletter,” published by the U.S. Conference of Mayors.

“Failure rates for water mains, which are a key driver of the increasing costs and reduced affordability of our water infrastructure, were examined over 12-month and five-year periods and compared to more than a decade of data from previous USU studies,” said Baird’s letter. “The performance of different pipe materials in small, medium, large, and very large water utilities were also analyzed. Water main break rates are an important calculation to assess pipe performance and durability and the most critical metric used in water infrastructure asset management as well as pipe repair and replacement decision-making. The goals are to help control operating costs, reduce service level impacts, and minimize health risks to customers.”

The study, Baird’s letter explains, shows that almost 20 per cent or 452,000 miles of water pipes in the U.S. and Canada are beyond their useful lives and need to be replaced, but have not been due to lack of funds and this represents a US $452 billion shortfall.

Baird’s letter also shares that in the 2012 USU water main break survey, utilities reported that only 8 per cent of installed water mains were beyond their useful lives and Baird also provided a link to the full survey: https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/water_rep/682/. 

“Our infrastructure is aging, causing water pipelines to deteriorate,” said Professor Barfuss, P.E. “The results of this study certainly give us a better understanding of the current state of buried infrastructure. Additionally, the information provided on current funding needs and pipe material performance will aid local leaders as they move forward in upgrading the nation’s aging water pipelines.”

The report, Baird’s letter explained, can also assist municipalities in better understanding pipe material procurement choices and help benchmark their utility’s water main break rate compared to the national average.

Baird’s letter also emphasizes that the most significant advantage of the 2023 USU study is that it compares data from 2012 and 2018 to provide incredibly accurate insights into pipe usage and trends. The survey results, Baird’s letter states, are based on quantitative data, which can help utilities to precisely assess the durability, performance, and longevity of pipe networks and this stands in contrast to other studies which are qualitative in nature. Baird’s letter says that the 2023 study also provides extensive information on water main breaks by utility size based on miles of pipe, water main failures by pipe material and diameter, a new analysis of corrosion impacts on failure rates, and discusses use of condition assessment, corrosion prevention, and digital asset management practices.

“Underground water infrastructure represents over 60 percent of a water utility’s funding needs, so failing pipes drive up costs and risk, stressing affordability limits and challenging sustainability efforts,” said Baird. “This free report provides critical insight and can act as a guideline for water asset management planning and utility benchmarking. As an advocate for utility financial management, water affordability and sustainability, I highly recommend this report.”

Baird concluded his letter by inviting Reeve Miyanaga to share the report with their water department, procurement, and asset management staff.

Council ultimately accepted the consent agenda, which included this item, as presented through a motion and the motion was carried.