Innovative Financing Is Key to Improving, Upgrading, and Investing in Our Water Infrastructure By United States Senator John Boozman
Access to safe, clean water is critical to the livelihood of every American. It’s important that we continue to prioritize infrastructure improvements in order to provide citizens with reliable and safe drinking water and effective wastewater and stormwater treatment. As a member of the Senate Environment and Public United States Senator John Boozman (R-AR). Works Committee, I participated in the two hearings held multiple water infrastructure projects. This legislation this year on the needs and challenges of our nation’s water combines the best aspects of state revolving funds (SRFs) infrastructure. As we work to craft and pass a new Water with the proven leveraging power of the Water Infrastructure Resources Development Act, we are examining the state of and Innovation Act (WIFIA) to make the funding process our water infrastructure nationwide. easier and more affordable for states to As you’re likely well aware, the American meet their underserved or unmet water Society of Civil Engineers gave our infrastructure needs. nation’s drinking water infrastructure a D The SRF WIN Act will create a significant in its 2017 Infrastructure Report Card. pot of money within the WIFIA program The mark reflects the damage our aging that is available only to SRFs. The fiscal infrastructure has on the water supply. An year 2017 appropriation of $25 million estimated 240,000 water main breaks each leveraged $1.5 billion in direct loans for water year waste more than 2 trillion gallons of infrastructure. This legislation will be a 5-year drinking water. The American Water Works bill that authorizes $200 million each year, for Association estimates that $1 trillion is a total of $1 billion over 5 years. necessary to maintain and expand service to Our legislation would dramatically meet our needs over the next 25 years. increase the availability of SRF funding —JOHN BOOZMAN The challenge is that we face an over to communities across the nation while $500 billion shortfall in funding to repair substantially reducing the time and related costs for completing our aging water infrastructure. This is a national emergency. projects. This legislation allows SRFs to bundle their priority Investment in our water infrastructure is crucial to ensuring drinking water and wastewater projects together and make a that Americans have access to clean, safe, and reliable single loan request, saving the state the $100,000 application drinking water. We need a cost-effective plan that will help fee per project. This would allow thousands of vetted water address the backlog of long-awaited local infrastructure and wastewater projects to receive funding without the U.S. projects. That’s why I’m leading a bipartisan effort to update Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) having to process as how we invest in water infrastructure. many applications. For those projects found to be unqualified, The Securing Required Funding for Water Infrastructure the EPA will provide information about what needs to be done Now (SRF WIN) Act seeks to modernize water to meet the requirements. infrastructure investment by empowering states to finance
Investment in our water infrastructure is crucial to ensuring that Americans have access to clean, safe, and reliable drinking water.
MUNICIPAL WATER LEADER
PHOTOS COURTESY OF WIKIMEDIA COMMONS.
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