Collection Systems

Corrosion May Be a Threat to Public Health

An NACE International report identifies aging water infrastructure as a threat to public health and recommends the adoption of Corrosion Management Systems as an immediate solution

Jan. 18, 2019
2 min read

NACE International has released its Spotlight on Corrosion Report: The Critical Need for Corrosion Management in the Water Treatment Sector. According to PR Newswire, the report identifies aging water infrastructure as a resolvable threat to public health, and recommends the adoption of Corrosion Management Systems as an immediate solution for water utilities and municipal systems.

“Like much of our nation's infrastructure, our drinking water pipelines and systems are nearing the end of their useful life," said Bob Chalker, NACE International CEO. "Ignoring this critical infrastructure until repairs are needed is far costlier, both economically and socially, than preventing corrosion from occurring in the first place. We all need water, we owe it to our communities to get it right from the start."

According to a Federal Highway Administration study, the cost of corrosion in U.S. drinking water and sewer systems is $80 billion annually. This includes the costs of replacing aging infrastructure and lost water from pipeline leaks, but it does not include the immeasurable cost of widespread health crises that corrosion can create.

According to PR Newswire, though corrosion management solutions for water treatment systems exist, many communities nationwide do not have the resources to implement optimal corrosion control practices into their systems.

The Spotlight Report equips water treatment professionals and owners of systems of all sizes, with the information they need to help identify and solve the root cause of corrosion within their systems.

The report is a valuable tool for initiating an important conversation in communities across the country about how critical it is to invest in water infrastructure to prevent the imminent threat corrosion poses to public health, according to PR Newswire. In 2019, representatives from NACE International 56 nationwide membership sections will use this report to work with their community leaders, municipalities, and water systems management to improve and protect local water systems.

The Spotlight on Corrosion Report was guided and reviewed by a Task Force of five NACE International Fellows – a group of technical and professional experts recognized for their distinguished contributions in the field of corrosion and its prevention, according to PR Newswire. 

The report is available at their website here.  

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