From concept to reality

摘要

Many cities are straggling to find new ways to meet the challenges posed by an enormous infrastructure funding gap. Indianapolis is using the flexibility of a public-private partnership to implement new practices to reduce capital improvement costs and to keep up with the demands of population growth and an aging water infrastructure. As competing needs for federal funds become more acute, municipalities face the dual challenge of meeting strict water and wastewater standards while shouldering an increasing portion of the cost for upgrading water infrastructure, system expansions, and other necessary capital improvements. Rate shock is in store for many communities as increasing water and waste-water infrastructure needs exceed the abil-ity of local governments to raise capital.