Water Infrastructure Sustainability and Resilience Act of 2011 - Fall

Advisor: Irene Nielson

Despite the abundance of water on Earth, less than 1% of freshwater is readily available for human use. In the U.S., water infrastructure faces increasing pressure due to aging systems, rising demand, and climate change impacts such as sea level rise, extreme storms, and droughts. Failures in stormwater management during Tropical Storm Irene (2011) and Superstorm Sandy (2012), combined with daily water main breaks and insufficient maintenance budgets estimated at $11 billion annually, highlight the urgent need for resilient, adaptive water infrastructure. Much existing infrastructure, built in the 1950s, was designed without consideration for contemporary hydrologic challenges, contributing to water loss through evaporation and rapid runoff from impervious surfaces.

The Water Infrastructure Resiliency and Sustainability Act of 2011 (H.R. 2738) proposes a comprehensive solution. The Act establishes a grant program administered by the EPA, providing up to $50 million per year over five years to fund pilot projects that increase water system resiliency and adaptability to hydrologic changes. Funding targets the most vulnerable systems and supports projects of varying sizes and phases, including research and development, implementation, and monitoring. The program design emphasizes a two-tier structure combining national oversight with regional expertise.

The first-year implementation plan divides activities into five phases: Hiring and Start-Up, Competition Design and Training, Competition Announcement, Application Review, and Ongoing Program Management. Performance indicators track progress, while administrative costs are minimized to approximately 2% of the total budget. By supporting innovative pilot projects, the program demonstrates how U.S. water infrastructure can be upgraded to meet current demands and integrate climate adaptation strategies, ensuring long-term sustainability, reliability, and protection of communities and ecosystems nationwide.

Learn more about the MPA-ESP Workshop in Applied Earth Systems Management.