Laura Runkle, President of Virginia American Water, characterized the findings as a wake-up call for the state. The report identifies systemic failures rooted in aging assets, a dwindling pool of licensed operators, and the mounting pressure to build climate resilience into essential services. These findings mirror the assessments released by the ASCE in 2022, suggesting that state-level improvements have failed to keep pace with operational demands.
Virginia Water Infrastructure Stagnates as ASCE Issues Critical Grades
Virginia’s water and wastewater systems remain stuck in a cycle of neglect, earning stagnant grades of C+ and D+ respectively in the 2026 American Society of Civil Engineers report. The lack of movement over the past four years signals a deepening crisis for the state’s aging utility infrastructure.
To address these deficits, Virginia American Water has committed to a $360 million capital investment plan over the next five years. The company, which serves approximately 365,000 people across the state, aims to modernize treatment facilities and distribution networks to prevent further degradation. As the largest regulated water utility in Virginia, the firm faces the dual challenge of maintaining affordability while aggressively upgrading infrastructure that has seen minimal progress in nearly half a decade.
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