The history and policy of U.S. water and wastewater infrastructure? (Video)

A reader asked: Do you have any recommended books or podcasts that discuss the history and policy between U.S. water and wastewater infrastructure? Looking to learn more about this policy area for work. 

Greg Sund of Trinidad, CO offered an important insight: 

The biggest challenge to maintaining water and sewer infrastructure and treatment is hiring people licensed to operate them.  Most of the people with these licenses are or have recently retired.  In many cases, the most efficient alternative to city managed water and sewer infrastructure operations is to contract it with one of the companies that specializes in operating these utilities.

Recommended Resources on this Topic

• https://www.strongtowns.org/journal/2024/7/29/oh-crap-dealing-with-sewer-upgrades-is-a-complicated-mess (podcast episode on this topic)
• https://www.ipwea.org/resourcesnew/bookshop/iimm
• Chuck's article on the way that stormwater can be integrated into the landscape instead of diverting it out of sight is really good: https://www.strongtowns.org/journal/2009/12/22/celebrate-stormwater.html
• https://www.strongtowns.org/journal/2020/9/3/wastewater-engineering-in-extremistan
• https://www.strongtowns.org/journal/2020/12/1/we-cant-afford-to-maintain-our-water-and-sewer-infrastructureunless-we-build-more-productive-places
• https://www.strongtowns.org/journal/2019/8/30/32-billion-to-fix-tampas-aging-pipes-from-where
• https://www.strongtowns.org/journal/2021/10/26/maine-sewer-article

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