VALVE MAGAZINE Fall 2023

U.S. Valve Manufacturers Shipments in 2023

for the water and wastewater market like the last boom in the 1970s. With new laws and regulations passed, and billions of dollars appropriated for expansion and infrastructure, the industry is poised for a solid few years of continued steady growth, despite a significant shortfall in the number of workers. The aging infrastructure, climate change and worker shortages are some of the largest challenges the industry faces. But drought is also a market driver for utilities, as half of the largest lakes are losing water and groundwater shortages are impacting cities such as Phoenix. But with the allocations from The Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (WIFIA), funds are flowing into water utilities across the U.S., with $5.3 billion in projects in the pipeline for the year by May, and more coming. As of the workshop, 107 loans had closed for $18.3 billion, with $6.1 billion saved from WIFIA allocations already. “Forever chemicals” like PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) have a direct impact on the country’s water systems and utilities. Estimates are that 45% of the U.S. drinking water

 Refining  Production  Transmission

Graph courtesy of Spears & Associates.

sources have PFAS in them, and the EPA and state governments are start ing to pass guidance and legislation on the management of PFAS in water systems. This will continue to be moni tored, and water utilities can expect to address this in the future. Decker says the American Water Works Association (AWWA) estimates a cost of $2.5 billion per year to address this across 3,400 6,500 systems in the U.S. alone. But, only $10 billion is currently allocated from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA). This shortfall in the

future will need to be addressed. Other challenges today include diffi culty sourcing products for these large jobs funded by the Build America Buy America Act (BABAA) which requires all iron, steel, manufactured products and construction materials used in fed erally funded projects for infrastructure to have a certain percentage of sourc ing and production in the U.S. Many states are issuing waivers and accepting bids for non-U.S. products because they can’t currently be sourced from Ameri can manufacturers.

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LNG terminals like these will continue to be constructed as the fuel source grows in volume globally.