在过去两年中，美国环境保护局（USEPA）对社区公共供水的基础设施需求进行了首次全国性调查。作为这项调查的一部分，美国环保局人员和承包商访问了600多个小型系统，以评估资金需求。每个州、波多黎各、美属维尔京群岛和太平洋岛屿都访问了小型系统。还参观了美洲原住民系统和阿拉斯加原住民村庄。对实地考察的初步分析表明:许多小型系统面临重大的资本改善需求； 小系统资本需求往往是由于设计和施工不合格而产生的；小型系统的大多数需求与潜在的急性健康问题有关。

Over the past two years, the US Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) has conducted the first national survey of the infrastructure needs of community public water supplies. As a part of this survey, USEPA personnel and contractors visited more than 600 small systems to assess capital needs. Small systems were visited in every state, Puerto Rico, the US Virgin Islands, and Pacific Islands. Native American systems and Alaska Native villages were visited as well. A preliminary analysis of the site visits indicates that: many small systems face significant capital improvement needs; small system capital needs often arise as a result of substandard design and construction; and most needs of small systems are associated with potential acute health problems.