Source: Water Research Foundation
WASHINGTON, DC, APRIL 15, 2018 -- The nation's leading water organizations are gathering in the nation's capital this week to call on Congress and the Trump Administration to increase investment in water resources, specifically water infrastructure and research, and to elevate water as a national priority.
Hundreds of drinking water, wastewater, and stormwater leaders and professionals, representing the largest water organizations in the country, will take to Capitol Hill during Water Week 2018 (scheduled for April 15-21) and meet with lawmakers to advocate for national policies that advance clean, safe, affordable and sustainable water for all Americans.
Water sector organizations are calling on Congress to:
- Double the funding for the Drinking Water and Clean Water State Revolving Loan Funds
- Pass legislation to reauthorize and boost funding for the Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act
- Increase funding for the National Priorities Water Research Grant program to $20 million
- Strengthen protection of the nation's waters in the 2018 Farm Bill
- Increase funding for USDA's rural water/wastewater loan and grant program
- Increase funding for the Bureau of Reclamation's water recycling program to $60 million
Water Week 2018 comes as the nation's water resources and systems face growing challenges that include aging infrastructure, increased water quality concerns, workforce shortages, and climate change impacts. These challenges have been visible in recent events, such as the drinking water crisis in Flint, Michigan, harmful algal blooms in Ohio and Florida, severe drought conditions in California, and hurricane impacts in Texas, Florida, Louisiana and Puerto Rico.
Access to clean, safe and reliable water is a vital need that touches every American, without exception, every day. And now more than ever, it is critical to elevate water as a national priority.
The Water Research Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization officially formed in January 2018 after the merger of the Water Environment & Reuse Foundation and Water Research Foundation. The merged Foundation is the leading water research organization, funding research, pilot projects, and technology demonstrations that maximize the value of all water, including wastewater, stormwater, drinking water, and recycled water. Learn more at www.werf.org or www.waterrf.org.
