May 2012, Vol. 67 No. 5
WaterWorks
Water agencies urge no cuts to SRFs
The National Association of Clean Water Agencies (NACWA) and six national water groups sent a letter to Congress urging the House and Senate to reject the offered reductions to the Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) and Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF) and to maintain funding for these two key clean water programs at the FY12 levels.
The Obama Administration has requested a $328,269,000 total decrease in funding for the CWSRF and DWSRF programs for FY13.
“Sustained and increased investment in our water infrastructure is critical for economic growth and public health and welfare,” said Ken Kirk, NACWA’s executive director. By EPA’s own estimates, water and wastewater facilities will need a half of trillion dollars over the next two decades to ensure these systems continue to provide clean and safe water to the American public. Communities can’t do this alone: the federal government must remain a partner in meeting these needs.”
Although availability of the CWSRF and DWSRF has allowed clean water agencies to continue to provide critical human health and environmental benefits, funding has decreased since FY04. This decline comes even as reports from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Government Accountability Office (GAO), and Water Infrastructure Network (WIN) estimate the funding need for the next 20 years at $350 billion to $500 billion.
NACWA believes the time is right for Congress to recommit itself to the nation’s clean water infrastructure and maintain funding for the CWSRF and DWSRF through FY13 and beyond.
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