With critical water pipes and fittings aging past the century mark in some American cities, the nation has no choice but to face up to its massive infrastructure needs. Policy decisions worth tens of billions of dollars are being made at the local, state and federal levels as we tackle our water infrastructure challenge. Not only are millions of miles of pipe in need of replacement, we must invest in additional piping to meet the changing demands of a growing nation. According to a study by the American Water Works Association (AWWA), over the next 25 years the United States must invest more than $1 trillion in underground water infrastructure. That amount grows to more than $1.7 trillion over the next 40 years. Delaying the investment will only increase the cost and increase the likelihood of disastrous and costly mishaps.