08/17/2012

Aging City Pipes in Need of a Plumber’s Touch

A typical American family uses 400 gallons of water a day. But the pipes that ferry that water are bursting faster than they can be replaced. George Hawkins, general manager of DC Water, and environmental historian Martin Melosi discuss past and present issues with pumping water into cities.

Segment Guests

Martin Melosi

Martin Melosi is the author of Precious Commodity: Providing Water for America’s Cities (University of Pittsburgh Press, 2011) and professor of history at the University of Houston in Houston, Texas.

George Hawkins

George Hawkins is a general manager at D.C. Water in Washington, D.C.