Water leaders converge on Capitol Hill to urge support for infrastructure funding

(WASHINGTON, DC) -- More than 150 water managers from 49 states and Puerto Rico met with U.S. Congress today to urge support for programs that reinvest in water infrastructure and protect water quality.

The water leaders are on Capitol Hill for the Water Matters! Fly-In, hosted by the American Water Works Association, the world’s largest and oldest association dedicated to water. In more than 300 meetings over two days, the delegates are informing U.S. senators and representatives on key water issues, including addressing per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in water, advancing source water protection and funding programs that provide communities with critical water infrastructure loans.

America’s Water Infrastructure Act of 2018, passed in October of last year, represents an important step forward in addressing America’s trillion-dollar water infrastructure challenge. It reauthorized the innovative new Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (WIFIA) program and for time-tested state revolving loan funds (SRFs). However, to reach their potential, these federal loan programs must be fully funded in current and future federal budgets.

“The vast and largely unseen water and wastewater systems serving our communities are critical to our nation’s public health, safety and economic strength,” said AWWA President David Rager. “The members of the American Water Works Association urge Congress to provide robust funding that allows water infrastructure projects to move forward quickly.

“This week is also an opportunity to introduce new members of Congress to AWWA and its mission,” Rager added. “It’s important they know we are the source of objective, science-based information that can help inform their decisions on water quality, management and sustainability.”

Specifically, AWWA delegates call upon Congress to:

•    Provide fully authorized funding in fiscal year 2020 for:
o    $1.3 billion for the drinking water SRF program
o    $50 million for the WIFIA program
•    Begin discussions for reauthorization of the drinking water and wastewater SRF programs and of WIFIA
•    Maintain funding for conservation programs at the U.S. Department of Agriculture as authorized in last year’s Farm Bill, particularly the Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) at $300 million in FY2020

AWWA members are also thanking U.S. Congress for emphasizing the protection of drinking water sources in the recently passed farm bill, the Agricultural Improvement Act of 2018. The bill – the key issue in last year’s AWWA Fly-In – provides funds for programs and partnerships that allow agricultural producers and water utilities to collaborate on source water protection. It included virtually every one of AWWA’s key asks.

“Our representatives and senators should be applauded for recognizing the connection between smart farming practices and clean, affordable drinking water,” said Kurt Vause, chair of AWWA’s Water Utility Council. “The commitments they made through the farm bill will serve communities across the United States for years to come, particularly by reducing contaminants in runoff that can harm source water supplies.”

Water quality and the protection of public health has been at the core of AWWA’s mission since the Association was founded in 1881. PFAS in water is a rising concern nationwide, and AWWA believes the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) should have the tools it needs to make accurate, health-based decisions on how to address the contaminant. Delegates will be asking Congress to support EPA with resources necessary for health effects studies, the creation of analytical methods to quantify levels of PFAS and the exploration of technologies to efficiently and effectively remove the contaminants.

(Note: The U.S. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works is holding a hearing at 10 a.m. EST Thursday, entitled, “Examining the federal response to the risks associated with per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS)” in Room 406 of Dirksen Senate Office Building.)

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Established in 1881, the American Water Works Association is the largest nonprofit, scientific and educational association dedicated to managing and treating water, the world’s most important resource. With approximately 51,000 members, AWWA provides solutions to improve public health, protect the environment, strengthen the economy and enhance our quality of life.