According to the American Society of Civil Engineering's current report card, the United States' water piping systems were given a D-. In a country known for building some of the greatest public water works projects, many citizens are recognizing the need for accurate leak detection for the nation's crumbling infrastructure.
Although some government officials have failed to recognize the need to repair many of these aging leaky pipes, the weather extremes in recent years are just as much to blame for infrastructure calamities like foundation leaks. The record-breaking heat the United States has been experiencing for the past decade has caused soil to shift, putting even more strain on the decrepit pipes, according to The New York Times.
Heat also gives rise to violent storms that can flood water pipes, overturn levees and can even cause an irrigation leak. Some proactive cities like San Francisco are taking these threats seriously. According to the source, they are spending close to $40 million to modify discharge pipes so that wastewater will not flow into the bay. However, heading into hurricane season might present problems for the rest of the country that is not diligent about fixing plumbing leaks.
