Our cover story this month is from US Water Alliance CEO Mami Hara on the importance of equity in water projects as professionals begin to tap into infrastructure funding.
Equity is a term you are likely to hear a lot in the next five years as it is one of the guiding principles behind the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which is more commonly termed by the U.S. EPA as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law or BIL. Equity is described as a means to ensure all people have access to safe, reliable, and affordable water and wastewater systems regardless of race, income or location.
In my conversations with industry professionals, this term has increased in use and purpose over the past several years, and is only rivaled by two others: sustainability and resilience. All three are pillars of the current administration’s goals for U.S. infrastructure, but it is particularly noted in the water sector.
Because such emphasis is placed on these words, it behooves industry professionals to use them in their applications for loans and funding. In fact, I held a webinar June 7 about the BIL State Revolving Funds, what availability exists for professionals, current stumbling blocks, and how to make applications more appealing. If you were unable to watch it live, I recommend watching it on demand at www.bit.ly/wwdbentleywebinar.
