Water and wastewater infrastructure are critical in protecting public health. Therefore, when developing new infrastructure projects, it is essential to design smart projects. Smart or shovel-worth projects are those tailored to address community short-term needs and long-term challenges.
Shovel -worthy water and wastewater infrastructure projects:
- Improve community wellbeing by prioritizing health and safety.
- Improve community quality of life through necessary upgrades that address the unique needs of the community.
- Improve community long-term functionality, efficiency, and resilience.
Understanding Shovel-Worthy Water and Wastewater Projects
Many funding programs want to know that a project is shovel-ready, meaning deemed ready for construction, before granting funds. When designing a project to be shovel-ready, emphasis tends to be placed on completing planning and engineering to secure funding quickly so construction can begin as soon as possible. Unfortunately, concentrating on the feasibility of a project may produce a result that lacks long-term functionality.
It is also important to make sure a project is “shovel worthy” before it is determined to be “shovel ready.” Shovel-worthy infrastructure projects are those that are designed to address both the immediate and ongoing needs of the community they serve. What should you consider when planning a shovel worthy project?
Below are shovel-worthy project criteria to think about when designing a water and wastewater infrastructure project.
Utility: The project should address the specific challenges and needs of the community. Community-driven considerations include:
- Necessity.
- Is this project needed or can any of the problems experienced by the system be fixed by operational changes?
- Water chemistry of the area.
- Will the infrastructure be able to address challenges associated with local water chemistry?
- Capacity and scalability.
- Will the infrastructure meet the current needs of the population?
- How is population expected to change, and will the infrastructure be able to adapt?
- Cost and efficiency.
- Are cost and efficiency balanced?
- Or is one being overlooked at the expense of the other?
- Appropriate site location.
- Are there any zoning issues that need to be considered?
- Where is the best place to release effluent?
- Is the infrastructure to be constructed in a way that reduces environmental impact?
- Could there be unanticipated energy or resource demands at the planned location that could be mitigated at another location?
Wellbeing: The project should be designed to provide health, safety, security, and functionality for all people involved from employees to customers.
- Community-driven questions include:
- Will the infrastructure be adaptable to handle changing regulatory requirements?
- Is the infrastructure designed with employee safety in mind?
- Do designs address security concerns to protect systems from cyber threats?
Stewardship: The project should make best use of building materials, land, energy, time, and funding.
- Community-driven considerations include:
- Do designs optimize the use of resources (time, materials, energy) and minimize waste and cost?
- What energy-efficient technologies and renewable resources can be incorporated to minimize environmental impact?
- Will the infrastructure be able to withstand extreme weather conditions, aging, and a growing population?
Remember, before construction can start, it is important to make sure construction should start.
Call to Action:
Local Leaders: Start assessing your community’s water and wastewater needs now.
Engineers: Identify the community’s immediate needs and long-term challenges before designing the project.
Residents: Get involved in public discussions about infrastructure projects.
Advocates: Push for community-driven, sustainable designs.
Designing Water and Wastewater Projects for Community Needs
Start by assessing the unique needs of the community. For example, the community may be a large city that needs to increase the capacity of their water treatment plant while reducing energy costs. Perhaps it is a drought-prone rural community that has naturally high levels of arsenic. Or maybe it is an industrial town that is partnering with businesses to fund infrastructure improvements. It is important to understand the community’s needs and design the project around those.
Engage with stakeholders early in the planning process. Involve residents, businesses, community groups, and local leaders in planning. Learn what their priorities are. Take into consideration insights you have not considered. Address any concerns about disruptions, costs, and environmental impact.
Prioritize viability and innovation by designing infrastructure that increases the community’s resilience to local natural hazards. Green infrastructure such as wetlands and permeable pavements can reduce runoff. Effluent from MBR and SBR treatment plants can be used as a non-potable water source for parks in desert communities. Energy-efficient treatment plants and renewable energy integration can make infrastructure sustainable.
Finally, educate the community about the planned infrastructure, especially if it means that residents need to change their water and wastewater use habits. It is everyone’s responsibility to make sure that the infrastructure is useable for decades to come.
The Path Forward: Building Water and Wastewater Systems That Last
When designing an infrastructure project, make sure the project will serve the community’s long-term needs. Advocate for proactive planning over emergency fixes and encourage flexible, future-proof designs.
Before your project is shovel-ready, make sure it is shovel-worthy. To truly serve its community a smart project must be designed to provide solutions that meet today’s needs and tomorrow’s challenges.