The Utah State University is looking for Utilities to take part in their most recent survey. The Buried Structures Laboratory at Utah State University (USU) conducted comprehensive surveys of water mains across the U.S. and Canada in 2011 and 2017, but it is time to update the data. If you are interested in participating, click Read More below for more details and links to begin the survey. Surveys need to be completed by Wednesday, March 30, 2022.
In 2011 and 2017, the Buried Structures Laboratory at Utah State University (USU) conducted comprehensive surveys of water mains across the U.S. and Canada. The surveys had a very high participation rate, and the results are still referenced as an accurate measure of what utilities were experiencing. Two reports were produced: Water Main Break Rates in the USA and Canada: A Comprehensive Study, April 2012 (click here); and Water Main Break Rates in the USA and Canada: A Comprehensive Study, March 2018 (click here). The 2018 USU report was downloaded more than 30,000 times and reviewed by utility engineers in 153 countries.
After five years, it is time to repeat this reoccurring survey. We hope you will participate. The purpose is to gather data on water main failures being experienced by utilities and provide other guidance. The aging of infrastructure in North America will require significant investments in the future. The goal is to provide water system managers and engineers with regional and national information on the performance of different pipeline materials.
Water main break rates are an important calculation to assess pipe performance and durability, and are the most critical metric used in water infrastructure asset management as well as pipe repair and replacement decision-making. This study provides greater insight into the drivers of the aging water infrastructure crisis and offers data which utilities can use to benchmark pipe material performance. It will be a valuable asset management planning tool for water utilities.
The lead researcher for the first two surveys was Dr. Steven Folkman, former head of USU's Buried Structures Laboratory and an internationally recognized expert in analysis and testing of all kinds of pipe and associated underground structures. Dr. Folkman is now retired and Professor Emeritus at USU but will be collaborating in the 2022 initiative as an adviser and reviewer.
Heading up the current effort is Steven L. Barfuss, who is a Research Professor at USU in the Civil and Environmental Engineering Department and also an Associate Director at the Utah Water Research Laboratory (UWRL). Steve has over 35 years of research experience at the UWRL and has published numerous peer-reviewed articles on his research in national and international journals. He also has considerable experience in the hydraulics of pipelines and pipe failures.
The survey was emailed to multiple contacts in water utilities in hopes that whoever initially receives this email would forward it to the appropriate person in your organization. If you have multiple divisions responsible for water mains, we ask you to share this survey with each of them.
We will maintain strict confidentiality of all individual information that is provided. The results will be broken down by region and/or state (assuming we have a reasonable sample size from each state). We realize your time is very valuable, but we believe the results will be beneficial to water utilities. Hard copies and electronic versions of the summary report will be provided to all participants.
Below are two surveys: one being a basic survey and the other being a more detailed survey. The basic survey was streamlined such that it should be easy to complete. The detailed survey would require somewhat more effort to complete. We hope you will be willing to participate in both. Based on our past experience, we need wide participation to achieve meaningful results. Please consider participating in both surveys or at least the basic survey.
Note that you must download the survey first before completing electronically.
After five years, it is time to repeat this reoccurring survey. We hope you will participate. The purpose is to gather data on water main failures being experienced by utilities and provide other guidance. The aging of infrastructure in North America will require significant investments in the future. The goal is to provide water system managers and engineers with regional and national information on the performance of different pipeline materials.
Water main break rates are an important calculation to assess pipe performance and durability, and are the most critical metric used in water infrastructure asset management as well as pipe repair and replacement decision-making. This study provides greater insight into the drivers of the aging water infrastructure crisis and offers data which utilities can use to benchmark pipe material performance. It will be a valuable asset management planning tool for water utilities.
The lead researcher for the first two surveys was Dr. Steven Folkman, former head of USU's Buried Structures Laboratory and an internationally recognized expert in analysis and testing of all kinds of pipe and associated underground structures. Dr. Folkman is now retired and Professor Emeritus at USU but will be collaborating in the 2022 initiative as an adviser and reviewer.
Heading up the current effort is Steven L. Barfuss, who is a Research Professor at USU in the Civil and Environmental Engineering Department and also an Associate Director at the Utah Water Research Laboratory (UWRL). Steve has over 35 years of research experience at the UWRL and has published numerous peer-reviewed articles on his research in national and international journals. He also has considerable experience in the hydraulics of pipelines and pipe failures.
The survey was emailed to multiple contacts in water utilities in hopes that whoever initially receives this email would forward it to the appropriate person in your organization. If you have multiple divisions responsible for water mains, we ask you to share this survey with each of them.
We will maintain strict confidentiality of all individual information that is provided. The results will be broken down by region and/or state (assuming we have a reasonable sample size from each state). We realize your time is very valuable, but we believe the results will be beneficial to water utilities. Hard copies and electronic versions of the summary report will be provided to all participants.
Below are two surveys: one being a basic survey and the other being a more detailed survey. The basic survey was streamlined such that it should be easy to complete. The detailed survey would require somewhat more effort to complete. We hope you will be willing to participate in both. Based on our past experience, we need wide participation to achieve meaningful results. Please consider participating in both surveys or at least the basic survey.
Note that you must download the survey first before completing electronically.
Click here for the basic survey.
Click here for the detailed survey.
Click here for the detailed survey.
Please return the completed survey(s) before Wednesday, March 30, 2022.
If you have questions or concerns, feel free to contact me via email or phone. Thank you in advance for your time and participation. I hope to be hearing from you soon.
Regards,
If you have questions or concerns, feel free to contact me via email or phone. Thank you in advance for your time and participation. I hope to be hearing from you soon.
Regards,
 | Steven L. Barfuss Research Professor Associate Director, Utah Water Research Laboratory Utah State University 8200 Old Main Hill Logan, UT 84322-8200 Office: (435) 797-3214 Cell: (435) 881-0551 http://uwrl.usu.edu/hydraulics |
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