2018 Utah State University Water Main Breaks Study

• A new study from Utah State University examines the increasing number of water main breaks across the United States and Canada, as well as associated pipe materials and what the trend could mean for the future of water infrastructure.
• The study, titled “Water Main Break Rates in the USA and Canada: A Comprehensive Study,” was conducted by USU’s Buried Structures Laboratory and is the second comprehensive study on break rates and commonly-used water pipe materials.
• The origins of the report stem from a 1995 NRC study; while this edition is an update to the Utah State Water Main Break Report published in 2012.
• 21 Canadian municipalities were surveyed for this report making the accumulated data a valuable tool for municipal planners.