Across the nation, the issues of aging and failing water infrastructure are on the minds of many community leaders. Compounding the issue of age are environmental forces that are putting increased pressure on water and wastewater systems; specifically, flooding. Flooding has been rampant throughout the Midwest and Southeast this spring, and Kentucky is one of the many states that has been hit hard. In April, a disaster declaration that will provide funds to deal with some of the issues mounting from the flooding, was issued for 57 counties in the state; however, the funds won’t begin to touch the water system needs. The American Infrastructure Act of 2018 also set aside federal money to address the nation’s drinking water needs, but Kentucky’s needs go far beyond the amount of those funds, as well.
The American Society of Civil Engineers released their 2019 Kentucky Infrastructure Report Card, estimating that the state needs $15 billion to address issues with its drinking and wastewater systems. The Assistant Director for the Kentucky Division of Water, Carey Johnson, said the recent rains are exacerbating the already poor conditions of the systems. “The biggest disaster that you may have from a flooding event may not be from the actual flood itself but from the impacts to the infrastructure after the floodwater recedes.”[1] When it floods, wastewater systems often add pollutants to water. Of noted concern are septic systems, which do not require the same oversight and can lead to increased pollutants in water after floods. Overall, Johnson said, “there isn’t a water system in the state that doesn’t have some kind of need for improvement.”[2]
[1] Schimmel, Becca. “Water Infrastructure Woes: How Flooding Impacts Homes and the Water We Rely On.” WEKU, 5 June 2019, www.weku.fm/post/water-infrastructure-woes-how-flooding-impacts-homes-and-water-we-rely.
[2] Schimmel, Becca. “Water Infrastructure Woes: How Flooding Impacts Homes and the Water We Rely On.” WEKU, 5 June 2019, www.weku.fm/post/water-infrastructure-woes-how-flooding-impacts-homes-and-water-we-rely.
Photo Credit: William Alden, Flickr
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