TV show examines the infrastructure crisis underneath our feet

Liquid Assets: The Story of Our Water Infrastructure explores the looming crisis underneath our feet and how 10 cities and towns are trying to meet the challenges. While the public takes system reliability for granted, cities must find the funds to rebuild eroding systems, separate sewer and stormwater flows, and protect the watershed. Industry and environmental experts, government officials, front-line water workers and citizens reveal how their communities are working to ensure the viability of water infrastructure assets.

See Liquid Assets on Sunday, Jan. 4 at 3:30 p.m. on Pioneer Public Television. If you get Twin Cities Public Television's Channel 17, you can watch it on Tuesday, Jan. 6 at 8 p.m.

Want to learn more? View the trailer.

Read what WCI is doing about aging water infrastructure.

Callaway shows how a small town can overcome a big problem

Callaway is a town of just 200 people, but it had a pretty big problem: a deteriorating 90-year-old water system, plus a 60-year-old "hand-me-down" treatment plant purchased from another town. Its infrastructure wasn't just old, it was unsafe.

It was obvious and imperative both the water system and the treatment plant needed to be significantly updated--but at what cost to the townspeople?

Callaway's leaders set to work coming up with a two-part plan and enough funding to complete the ambitious project in two years.

Read the entire story in USDA Rural Development's
"Rural Minnesotan" newsletter (pages 3-4).

Many west central Minnesota communities are facing infrastructure crises like Callaway. Read WCI's infrastructure study report.