Water Infrastructure: Research and Education Needs

Problems with infrastructure have received considerable attention but not much has been written about implications for research and education. Education and research should be aimed at needed changes. The main need in engineering education is added emphasis on management. An effective course in management for civil engineers is needed, including the principles of maintenance, operations research, value engineering, economics, finance, policy analysis and the practical application of computer-based information systems. The MS degree is becoming accepted as an entry level professional degree, and offers an opportunity for engineers to take more management. More research aimed at managing the water infrastructure is needed.