Urging House Committees to Provide Maximum Funding for Water/Wastewater Projects in Stimulus Package

WWEMA

The Water & Wastewater Equipment Manufacturers Association is asking its members to contact House committee representatives about providing maximum funding in equal proportion for both water and wastewater infrastructure projects in the new economic stimulus package.

The Appropriations Committee is scheduled to review the stimulus package bill today, while the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee is scheduled to hold a hearing on the infrastructure investment portion on Jan. 22.

Members of the Appropriations Committee can be found here, and members of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee can be found here.

According to WWEMA, the needs for water/wastewater funding are comparable to those of public health, environmental protection and economic recovery.

The stimulus package calls for $6 billion for wastewater infrastructure and $2 billion for drinking water infrastructure, which will be administered through the U.S. EPA State Revolving Fund programs. An additional $1.5 billion is slated for rural water/wastewater projects administered through the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

WWEMA is also urging its members to contact senators for support of a letter requesting $32 billion for water infrastructure projects. Sen. Ben Cardin (D-Md.) spearheaded the letter-writing campaign, which calls for $20 billion for wastewater projects, $10 billion for drinking water projects and $2 billion for water efficiency projects.

The letter, which was signed by several other senators, was sent to Senate leadership last Friday.