$20 million for PFAS. $20 million for lead. And up to $50 million already needed for aging pipes.

That’s the reality facing many U.S. water systems today.

Chad Seidel of the Water Health Advisory Council describes a growing financial squeeze: new regulatory requirements are stacking on top of long-standing infrastructure needs—forcing cities to prioritize compliance over the condition of the system itself.

The risk is clear. Pipes that carry water from source to tap may fail—not because solutions don’t exist, but because funding is being pulled toward the latest contaminants.

It’s a shift in focus with real consequences.

Seidel points to the need for a broader approach—one that weighs risks across the entire system and prioritizes investments that keep water flowing safely and reliably.

Because if the system breaks down, water quality becomes secondary.

Episode at https://bit.ly/50YearsDrinkingWater

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