For the last 5 years the Water Innovations Alliance Foundation, has stated to our leaders on Capitol Hill that to repair America’s decaying water infrastructure will cost approximately $350-400 billion.  The grade for the 2013 Report Card from the American Society of Civil Engineers for America’s Drinking Water is a D.

Engineers and Scientists from the Water Industry and Senior Executives from Utilities, Academia and Think Tanks all agree that much of our drinking water infrastructure is nearing the end of its useful life.
The American Water Works Association (AWWA) based their estimate at $1 trillion. This would be the cost to replace every pipe over the coming decades. These numbers seem frightening, right?  Historically, large infrastructure projects have cost overruns.  Case in point, the SF-Oakland Bay Bridge, which opened on Tuesday, September 4th 2013 had a cost of $6.4 billion.  The original cost estimate was $1.4 billion.

My two biggest concerns are the following:

1. Funding – We must commit to Water Infrastructure funding in America.
2. Lack of funding is leading to a decrease in Water Technology and Innovation.

The following is a list of U.S. Patents in Water and Wastewater Treatment from 2003 -2012.  The total number is 1,449.

% increase in numbers of U.S. water-related patents from 2003 to 2012:
153/131 = 1.17 = 17%

Let’s examine the Total U.S. Patents from 2003-2012.  The total number is 253,155.

TOTAL U.S. PATENTS 2003-2012:

The following table displays annual, U.S. patent application from 2003 to 2012

 

Source:  US PTO, www.uspto.gov/web/offices/ac/ido/oeip/taf/h_counts.htm
Calendar
Year		 Utility
Patent
Applications
(inventions)		 Design
Patent
Applications		 Plant
Patent
Applications		 Utility
Patents
(inventions)
2012 542,815 32,799 1,149 253,155
2011 503,582 30,467 1,139 224,505
2010 490,226 29,059 992 219,614
2009 456,106 25,806 959 167,349
2008 456,321 27,782 1,209 157,772
2007 456,154 27,752 1,049 157,282
2006 425,967 25,515 1,151 173,772
2005 390,733 25,553 1,222 143,806
2004 356,943 23,975 1,221 164,290
2003 342,441 22,602 1,000 169,023

% increase in number of all U.S. patents from 2003 to 2012:
253,155/169,023 = 1.50 = 50%

The increase in total U.S. Patents from 2003-2012 is 50%.  Sadly, U.S. Water Patents, at a 17% increase are not keeping pace with America’s technology revolution.  We must continue to be advocates of U.S water infrastructure funding for innovators and entrepreneurs who have a market for their products.