ASCE Region 9 Releases 2025 Report Card for California’s Infrastructure

On Dec. 3, the California Section of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) released the 2025 Report Card for California’s Infrastructure. Encompassing 17 categories of infrastructure, California’s grade is ‘C-’, the same grade the state received in its 2019. The grade is below the national grade of ‘C’ in the 2025 Report Card for America’s Infrastructure.

Although improvements have been made – resulting in six category grades improving – a ‘C-’ indicates that California’s built environment is not equipped to keep pace with the needs of the largest economy and population in the U.S., particularly as diverse environmental challenges impact infrastructure systems.

California’s aviation, energy, hazardous waste, levees, ports and rail grades all improved compared to their 2019 marks, while the state’s dams, drinking water, schools and stormwater categories decreased.

Report Card for California’s Infrastructure Grades

“While California’s infrastructure faces significant challenges, this report serves as a clear call to action,” said Yaz Emrani, P.E., co-chair, 2025 Report Card for California’s Infrastructure. “It highlights both the urgency and the opportunity for us to invest in modernizing and strengthening our systems. By prioritizing infrastructure renewal now, we can create safer, more sustainable communities and pave the way for a stronger future. With focused investment, we can turn these challenges into lasting improvements for all Californians.”

California has some of the strictest environmental regulations in the U.S. While these regulations aim to ensure the future of California’s natural resources, environment, and quality of life, they also increase the cost of infrastructure projects due to extended planning and permitting processes for systems that urgently need rehabilitation or replacement, adding to the future needs and funding gaps outlined in this report.

California’s energy sector (D) is undergoing a major transformation to meet its 2045 goal of 100 percent clean energy, and the state has invested heavily in innovative solutions to make its grid more resilient, resulting in less outages, and environmentally friendly.

California stands alone as the only state that does not adhere to the National Electrical Safety Code (NESC) which mandates compliance with various ASCE Standards and Manuals of Practices. As a result, California’s minimum design weather loadings for overhead electric lines are lower are weaker than the rest of the U.S., contributing to lower grades and reliability.

Despite being a national leader in water innovation and recycled water technologies, the state struggles with equity, affordability, and resilience of its aging drinking water (D+) network, especially in rural and disadvantaged communities.

Over 85 percent of water utilities rely on components that older than their design life, leading to more than 105 billion gallons of water being lost per year due to leaking pipes. Upgrades would cost more than $11.5 billion over the next five years, but only $3.5 billion is currently planned to be dedicated to these networks.

“At California American Water, our commitment goes beyond maintaining pipes and pumps—it’s about safeguarding the health, safety, and prosperity of every community we serve,” said Sarah Leeper, president, California American Water. “The urgency of this mission is highlighted by the recent American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) report, which downgraded California’s drinking water grade from a C in 2019 to a D+ in 2025. This underscores the significant infrastructure pressures facing our state, including droughts and climate resilience and aging pipes and critical equipment. As we face these challenges, our ongoing investments are essential to help ensure that Californians continue to have safe, clean, reliable, and affordable water for generations to come.”

SOURCE – American Society of Civil Engineers