By 2050, the American Water Works Association (AWWA) estimates the United States alone will spend an estimated $1 trillion to address rehabilitation and replacement of buried water pipes. The more than one million miles of buried pipe are aging and many pipelines are expected to reach their end of useful life within the next 25-30 years.
US water utilities are experiencing 240,000 breaks each year. A recent study by Utah State University found that water main breaks in the US and Canada have increased 27% over the past six years. Service interruptions, soaring costs, pressure to raise water rates and the strain on available resources is unprecedented and is expected to worsen in the near future.
The big question is this: if you are running a water utility in the United States, how do you address this impending “Pipeageddon?”
At Fracta, we are working with utilities and engineering firms around the United States to incorporate AI - Machine Learning condition assessments into proper infrastructure and asset management programs. Through our Software as a Service (SaaS) application, we assess the condition of drinking water distribution mains and provide a Likelihood of Failure (LOF) score. The LOF score represents the mathematical probability of pipe failure for every water main pipe segment. Our objective, big data-driven method is faster, more accurate and more affordable than other desktop and physical condition assessment methods, allowing utilities to make more accurate pipe replacement decisions.
Through our quarterly newsletter, The Assessment, we'll be sharing news and updates in the water infrastructure industry, relevant industry resources and new updates from our team here at Fracta. Thank you for following along.
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