Why the ASCE Infrastructure Report Card Deserves an F

From CNBC and a poll from the LA Times.  If only 16% say they are impacted by the recent drought, you have to really wonder how many would say they are impacted by their declining water treatement/distribution system?  ASCE needs to fundamentally rethink how it strategically communicates with the public regarding our declining infrastructure.  When you give the water system a grade of D year-after-year - - what does that mean to the average citizen and customer that jumps in the shower each morning (no problems!!), drinks four glasses of tap water per day (no problems!!), has a nice green lawn (no problems!!), enjoys 25,000 gallons of swimming pool water on the weekends (no problems!!), and all of this at $3.50/1,000 gallons (absolutely no problems!!).  How does that translate into a grade of D that is explainable to the people on Main Street?

Link to the story:

"The severe drought parching states in the Southwest and West is undoubtedly causing hardships:The list includes higher prices for food and water, water-use restrictions, blazing wildfires and billions of dollars in lost productivity.

But most people seem to be taking it in stride—even within drought states. A recent poll by the Los Angeles Times indicated that only 16 percent of those surveyed in California say it has personally affected them in a measurable way. That's despite the Golden State being in its third year of drought and in a state of emergency since January."