Industry Reference
U.S. Sewer & Wastewater Infrastructure Statistics
Six citable figures on the sewer and wastewater systems behind everyday service, with a closer look at New Jersey.
Last updated September 15, 2026. Figures below use the EPA's latest nationwide Clean Watersheds Needs Survey data, reported in January 2022 dollars.
What These Numbers Cover
A practical snapshot of sewer infrastructure needs.
Most sewer work is invisible until something stops flowing. These figures show the scale of the public infrastructure that collects, moves, treats, and manages wastewater across the country.
They are useful context for homeowners, property managers, reporters, and anyone following the condition of sewer and wastewater systems. They are not estimates of the cost of an individual repair or service visit.
$630.1B
reported nationwide clean-water infrastructure needs
The EPA identified this 20-year need for January 1, 2022 through December 31, 2041. The figure includes wastewater, stormwater, decentralized systems, water reuse, nonpoint-source control, and desalination.
EPA 2022 Clean Watersheds Needs Survey, published 202455%
of the reported national need was for wastewater infrastructure
The EPA groups treatment plant improvements, sewer conveyance repairs, new conveyance systems, combined sewer overflow correction, water reuse distribution, and desalination in its wastewater infrastructure total.
EPA 2022 Clean Watersheds Needs Survey, published 2024$151.1B
reported need for sewer conveyance repairs and new systems
This combines $110.1 billion for repairing existing conveyance systems with $41.0 billion for new conveyance systems, both reported in January 2022 dollars.
EPA 2022 Clean Watersheds Needs Survey, published 2024$36.5B
reported need for combined sewer overflow correction
The EPA defines this category as capital work to prevent or control periodic discharges of mixed stormwater and untreated wastewater when a sewer system is exceeded during wet weather.
EPA 2022 Clean Watersheds Needs Survey, published 2024$19.35B
reported New Jersey clean-water infrastructure need
New Jersey’s total was reported in January 2022 dollars, or $2,083 per person. This total covers the same 20-year planning horizon as the national survey.
EPA 2022 Clean Watersheds Needs Survey, published 2024$3.6B
reported New Jersey need for combined sewer overflow correction
New Jersey had the third-highest reported need in this category, behind New York and Pennsylvania, in the EPA’s 2022 survey results.
EPA 2022 Clean Watersheds Needs Survey, published 2024Method And Sources
How we selected these figures.
This page summarizes the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's 2022 Clean Watersheds Needs Survey: Report to Congress, published in 2024. The survey documents reported public clean-water infrastructure needs over a 20-year period beginning January 1, 2022.
Every figure on this page links to the same primary EPA report. Amounts are shown as reported by the EPA in January 2022 dollars. We will refresh this page when the EPA releases a newer nationwide survey or material updated data.
Cite This Page
Use a stable link to the figure you quote.
Suggested citation: StateWide Sewer & Drain LLC, “U.S. Sewer & Wastewater Infrastructure Statistics,” updated September 15, 2026. Source data: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2022 Clean Watersheds Needs Survey.
For a specific figure, link directly to its numbered statistic above. Each section has its own permanent page anchor.
Need Help With A Line?
Get a clearer picture before the next backup.
For a stubborn drain, recurring clog, or sewer-line concern in central New Jersey, StateWide can help identify the problem and recommend the right next step.