The water pipe is a small but significant aspect of our past, present, and future infrastructure. Since 4,000 BCE, humans have been building pipes and using them to transport some of our most precious resources from one place to another. What started as clay pipes has now evolved to modern fiberglass water pipe. However, despite these advancements, there is still a water main break every two minutes in the United States. These facts further prove why the United States is in need of updated infrastructure, from the smallest towns to the largest cities.
There are different properties and life spans of different kinds of pipes. Regardless of type, there is still a great need for an overall update of our current systems. In the United States, 6 billion gallons of treated water is lost per day due to faulty pipes. In addition, we are currently 25 years overdue for infrastructure updates, relying on aging pipes to push us forward. With sustainability at the forefront of innovation, updating these pipes will help to support a more environmentally conscious solution to these problems. In addition to sustainability, advancing our infrastructure will increase safety and efficiency, putting in place the foundation for a brighter future.
