The term infrastructure most commonly refers to a large-scale physical asset that meets a basic human need, such as transport, energy, water and waste, social services and - increasingly in today’s world - digital. The assets developed, such as power grids
or plants, generally last decades or longer. Infrastructure projects typically require large, up-front investment from public or private sources. Those investments can be paid back in different ways, such as through taxpayer funding and end-user fees.