The Future of Water Infrastructure Asset Management, Part 1: Organizing a Centralized Cost Database

The core concept of infrastructure asset management is to manage a utility's assets in a cost effective manner by intervening at strategic points in an asset's life cycle to extend the asset's life and maintain an acceptable level of service. This can entail a number of repairs, maintenance, and rehabilitation activities, until finally the asset is replaced. Each improvement will change the asset's life cycle and create the need for a data-intensive and organized effort of continual monitoring and improvement. The US Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA), through its Aging Water Infrastructure Research Program, and the Water Environment Foundation teamed up to fund the WATER Infrastructure Database (WATERiD). Combined with academic research, case studies, cost analysis, and simulation tools, asset managers will be able to better justify the costs of infrastructure investments as well as operations, maintenance and project delivery.