Wastewater infrastructure failures are a growing global concern, especially under changing climate conditions. However, data on structural weaknesses in centralized systems remain limited. We show how systematic reporting of wastewater failures can be used to identify social disparities, guide water resource planning, and address threats to water quality. We analyzed two decades of publicly available records from two counties in the Atlanta metropolitan area to identify hotspots of unintentional spills. We found that spills were associated with block group land area, sewer length, and social vulnerability, but not significantly with racial demographics or population size. Spill reports may also help communities plan for resilience to climate extremes. Spill frequency was positively correlated with precipitation, particularly in areas with repeated spills, indicating that intensifying rainfall may strain aging infrastructure. These findings highlight the need for data-driven metrics, supported by mandatory reporting, to pinpoint failing infrastructure and allocate resources for more equitable water infrastructure management.