West Virginia Water Chief Responds to Troubling Infrastructure Report, Calls for Statewide Team Effort

Bad report, sharper reaction: a company leader pushes for unity after the ASCE grades

The American Society of Civil Engineers’ latest report card landed like a warning for West Virginia residents: drinking water and wastewater systems across the state received low marks, and the president of West Virginia American Water responded with an urgent call for collective action. In a statement, the company leader said the report should be treated “as a call to action” and urged utilities, local leaders and state officials to work together to prioritize repairs and upgrades.

The reaction was immediate because the stakes are straightforward for families and businesses: aging pipes and strained treatment systems raise the risk of service interruptions, more frequent advisories, and rising costs as providers scramble to catch up. For many towns, the question is not whether work is needed but how quickly the money and labor can be put in place to get it done.

Where the 2025 ASCE report card says West Virginia falls short

The ASCE report evaluates water infrastructure across several categories and assigns letter-style grades that reflect system condition, funding, performance and capacity. This year the findings for drinking water and wastewater in West Virginia — and in many similar states — were described as low across the board, with many systems earning grades in the D range. That points to widespread, long-standing issues rather than isolated failures.

Key problems the report highlights include aging water mains and treatment plants, insufficient funding for routine maintenance, and capacity limits in rapidly changing communities. In practical terms, inspectors and engineers found examples of pipes that have been in service for decades beyond their design life, treatment facilities that need modernization, and sewage systems in smaller towns that struggle during heavy storms.

The ASCE compiles its grades by looking at current condition, ongoing maintenance, future capacity needs and funding levels. A low grade usually means investment has lagged for years, so the repairs needed are not just small fixes but multi-year projects that touch many parts of a system.

Company response: pressing for collaboration and setting priorities

West Virginia American Water’s president framed the report as a reminder that solving these problems will take coordinated effort. “These grades are a call to action,” the company leader said, stressing that private utilities, municipalities and state agencies must align on priorities and funding plans.

The company outlined several priorities in its release: replacing old mains that cause leaks and service interruptions, upgrading treatment processes to meet modern standards, and boosting resilience against extreme weather. It also said it will seek partnerships with local governments and explore staggered work plans to limit service disruption while projects are underway.

What low grades mean for residents and local leaders

For ordinary people, the report’s implications are practical and immediate. Low grades signal a higher-than-normal chance of water-quality alerts, temporary outages and construction that can disrupt streets and neighborhoods. Homeowners may see pressure on local property taxes or water rates as towns and utilities look for ways to pay for upgrades.

Municipal leaders face a balancing act: fund needed projects now and accept short-term cost increases, or delay and face more expensive emergency repairs later. For state policymakers, the report heightens pressure to channel limited state and federal dollars toward projects that protect public health and reduce long-term costs. In places with small, rural systems, the challenge is often that the local tax base is too small to cover major work without outside help.

Funding, partnerships and realistic timelines for fixing the worst problems

Fixing water systems is expensive and slow. Likely next steps include a mix of federal and state grant programs, low-interest loans, municipal bonds, and public-private partnerships. Recent years have seen more federal funding directed at water infrastructure, but the money must be prioritized and paired with local matching funds in many cases.

Utilities and towns can also look to cooperative models where larger providers help manage or upgrade smaller systems, or to phased projects that spread costs over several years. Expect planning, permitting and design work to take months to years before major construction begins, and realistically, many communities will be on multi-year timelines to fully address the ASCE-identified gaps.

Looking ahead: watch for cooperation and concrete milestones

The ASCE report and West Virginia American Water’s response have set a public agenda: fix the old pipes, upgrade plants, and do it in a way that spreads costs and keeps service steady. The most useful milestones to watch over the coming year are public meetings where project priorities are set, state or federal grant awards, and any announced agreements between utilities and smaller towns. Those steps will show whether the urgent words translate into steady progress at kitchen taps across the state.

Sources

• prnewswire.com