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WATER ENVIRONMENT FEDERATION SUPPORTS WATER INFRASTRUCTURE NOW REPORT URGING FEDERAL FUNDING INVESTMENT
WEF President Joe Stowe Calls for Prompt Congressional Action to Protect Health, Environment

(Alexandria, Va.) - The Water Environment Federation (WEF) today announced its support of Water Infrastructure Now -- a report released today by the Water Infrastructure Network (WIN). The report calls for a five-year, $57 billion federal investment in drinking water, sewer, and stormwater infrastructure to replace aging pipes, upgrade treatment systems, and continue to protect public health and the environment. The report also urges Congress to create a long-term, sustainable, and reliable source of federal funding for clean and safe water.

WIN - of which WEF is a member -- is a broad coalition of drinking water and wastewater agencies, municipal and state government officials, engineers, and environmentalists dedicated to preserving and protecting the hard-won public health, environmental, and economic gains that America's water and wastewater infrastructure provides. Wastewater treatment plants and collection systems are highly important, yet the least visible, part of our urban infrastructure, and WEF calls for increased federal funding for this vital infrastructure.

"Most Americans enjoy ready access to clean water and safe drinking water. But the financial investment needed to build, operate, and maintain public water and sewerage systems is an ever-increasing burden for local governments," says WEF President Joe Stowe, Jr. "As a member of the Water Infrastructure Network, the Federation is pleased to support the call for $57 billion in new federal investment in water infrastructure and hopes that Congress acts promptly. WEF members, as water quality professionals directly involved in providing clean water, understand the importance of federal funding to leveraging state and local resources. The Federation is proud to be a leader in the emerging consensus that federal investment is needed for continued public health and environmental protection."

Cities, counties, and other local agencies supply the public with tap water, and they collect, treat and dispose of sewage and urban runoff. Local governments and their ratepayers currently cover 90 percent of the costs to build, operate and maintain public water and sewer systems. But, as older systems deteriorate and water quality rules tighten, local budgets simply cannot keep pace.

The funding increase is urgently needed to help close a $23 billion per year gap between infrastructure needs and current spending. To bridge the investment gap, the federal government should meet localities halfway - by authorizing an average of $11.5 billion in capitalization funds over five years - the report proposes. States would receive the funds and in turn offer grants and loans to local agencies. In an era of unprecedented federal surpluses, the time for renewing the nation's commitment to its water resources is now, states the report.

The Water Infrastructure Now report is available in PDF format by clicking here.

Founded in 1928, the Water Environment Federation (WEF) is a not-for-profit technical and educational organization with members from varied disciplines who work toward the WEF vision of preservation and enhancement of the global water environment. The WEF network includes more than 100,000 water quality professionals from 77 Member Associations in 31 countries.