Most customers of the United States' 170,000 public drinking-water systems expect safe, clean water to come out of their faucets ever time they turn the tap. What most of them don't know is that the service they take for granted is at risk from decades of deferred maintaining and underfunding.

Chronic Underfunding Threatens America's Drinking Water

According to the American Society of Civil Engineers, approximately $55 billion in necessary maintenance and repair was unfunded and undone in 2010. ASCE estimates that unless a major investment is made in our water and sewer system, failure of this essential service will cost businesses and households $206 billion in related expenses between now and 2020.

In many U.S. cities, water pipes are at least half century old and sewer pipes are much older. Leaks in these aging systems means 25 percent of the drinking water piped through never reaches the faucet. At the other end, approximately 900 billion gallons of raw sewage leaks into waterways every year from broken sewers or overflows during heavy rains.

Deferred Water System Maintenance Means Big Costs for the U.S. Economy

In a tough economy, it's easy to put off what seems like less urgent government spending, but the impact on businesses down the line means higher costs and fewer jobs.

“We’ve all seen the impact aging water and wastewater infrastructure has on our daily lives. From broken water mains to “boil water” alerts, failing to invest in this vital part of our country’s infrastructure has clear economic consequences,” said Steven Landau of EDR, the lead author of the ASCE report.

ASCE estimates that "In a worst case scenario, the U.S. will lose nearly 700,000 jobs by 2020. Unless the infrastructure deficit is addressed by 2040, 1.4 million jobs will be at risk in addition to what is otherwise anticipated for that year." These job losses will be from businesses closing or moving to places with more reliable service or never opening in the first place. The group estimates the per-household cost will be $900 a year in higher water rates and lower wages by 2020 unless significant investments are made in our water infrastructure.

Aging Water Infrastructure Threatens Health

While Berkey customers can count on their filters to provide safe, clean water even during boil water alerts, that doesn't solve the problem, even at the individual level. The Black Berkey filter removes most pathogens, bacteria, viruses and chemicals in your drinking water to safe levels, but public health experts estimate that we are exposed to even more contaminants from showering and bathing. This is where the berkey shower filter will help. Overall, ASCE expects health costs to rise as the nation deals with outbreaks of waterborne diseases and other effects of lower quality water supplies.

“The longer we wait to make needed repairs and upgrades, the more acute these problems become and the higher the costs to American families and businesses,” explained Landau.