Even relatively small breaks in water lines can cause serious damage, as demonstrated by a recent pipeline leak in a neighborhood that created a muddy mess and resulted in extensive damage. Such incidents reveal the challenges for municipalities and utility operations to keep pace on maintenance and upgrades, says Professor Samuel Ariaratnam, construction engineering program chair in the Del E. Webb School of Construction in the School of Sustainable Engineering and the Built Environment, part of the Fulton Schools. Factors such as the age of piping and its structural resilience  — or the lack of it — need to be regularly assessed to adequately monitor water delivery systems for deterioration and potential breaks, Ariaratnam says.