Alexandria, Va. -- The Water Environment Federation (WEF) is encouraged that the White House recognizes the critical need to invest in the country’s water infrastructure. Water infrastructure impacts all Americans, as it protects public health and the environment and drives the economy. In fact, closing the investment gap in water infrastructure would generate more than $220 billion in annual economic activity and generate 1.3 million jobs over 10 years.
The release of the White House’s proposal marks an important starting point for what should be a bipartisan effort in Congress to provide the necessary new tools and increased funding for water infrastructure. WEF believes that Congress should also maintain essential funding for core water infrastructure and support the significant role of federal agencies in ensuring clean and reliable water.
WEF would also like the infrastructure package to:
- provide meaningful additional assistance to states and local governments as they work to fund and manage infrastructure projects in their jurisdictions;
- build resilient water infrastructure so communities can withstand the impacts of climate change, including severe storms, flooding, drought, and sea level rise;
- enable increased innovation in the water sector, such as water reuse, energy generation, and nutrient recovery; and
- promote workforce development to deal with labor shortages and pending retirement boom through training, internship, apprenticeship, and career pathway programs.
"We are at a pivotal time, with aging and inadequate water infrastructure in desperate need of repair and expansion to meet the challenges and seize the opportunities for water in the 21st century," said Eileen O'Neill, Executive Director of WEF. "We look forward to working with the Administration and Congress on a legislative package that addresses our nation's pressing and long-term water infrastructure needs."
WEF will focus on infrastructure funding as a key topic during Water Week 2018, when it joins with several water associations to communicate the value of water and advance water priorities on a national level. The 2018 National Water Policy Fly-In will take place during Water Week on April 17-18 in Washington, D.C., and will offer attendees the opportunity to hear from federal officials, members of Congress and Congressional staff, advocacy professionals, utility experts, and more. Learn more at http://www.waterweek.us/nwpf/
Learn more about WEF’s advocacy efforts at https://www.wef.org/advocacy/about-advocacy/
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Media contact: Travis Loop, 703.684.2465, tloop@wef.org
