U.S. private water industry leaders deliver annual Report to Congress

Washington, D.C., April 16, 2013 -- Industry leaders from the private water sector converged on Capitol Hill on April 16 and 17 to discuss key issues with Members of Congress and their staff.

Hosted by the National Association of Water Companies (NAWC), this annual "Report to Congress" provides executives and water system managers from the NAWC's member companies with the opportunity to personally educate their elected officials about providing a vital public service that helps safeguard the health and safety of American families, the environment and the economic prosperity of communities across the country. The meetings also allow for dialogue on environmental, financial and tax policies that elected officials should support to provide further benefits to the communities they represent.

"Every day, private water companies provide essential water and wastewater services to nearly 73 million people in the United States. That's almost one quarter of our nation's population," said Michael Deane, executive director of the NAWC. "To ensure all Americans continue to have access to safe water, it is vital that we continue to communicate the importance of sustainable water infrastructure and the benefits of public-private partnerships with our legislators. Local investment in water infrastructure not only sustains community development and improves system performance, it supports job creation."

Represented by the NAWC, these state-regulated drinking water and wastewater utilities and operators of public-private partnerships have provided quality service for centuries. During their visit to the Hill, NAWC members discussed the broad spectrum of solutions they provide to the communities they serve, new and innovative policy changes Congress can enact to make private sector solutions more viable in cities across the country and increased access to private capital for much-needed investment in U.S. water infrastructure.

The NAWC's policy recommendations are aimed at unleashing the vast potential of private capital in much-needed water infrastructure investment while building on the significant investments that have already been made to help communities meet their infrastructure investment needs. The NAWC supports leveraging the power of private enterprise through the expanded use and availability of tax-exempt financing for water projects, drawing critical private capital toward these projects, and removing impediments to establishing effective and productive public-private partnerships.

About the NAWC

The National Association of Water Companies (NAWC) is the voice of the private water industry and the organization exclusively representing this group of quality water service providers, innovation drivers, creative financiers and responsible partners. To learn more about the NAWC, visit NAWC.org or follow them on Twitter and Facebook.

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