Additional Federal Aid for Urban Water Distribution Systems Should Wait Until Needs Are Clearly Established

Many Federal, State, and local officials are proposing to modify Federal policy to provide more Federal aid to help large cities rehabilitate and improve their water supply and distribution systems. The programs, if enacted, could add billions of dollars to the Federal budget and may not be warranted for urban water distribution systems. GAO looked at water distribution systems in Boston, New Orleans, and Washington, D.C. The review focused on the areas of major concern to water distribution system operators: (1) water mains, (2) metering and water inventory management, and (3) financing.