NAWC Goes to Capitol Hill March 9 and 10
The National Association of Water Companies’ (NAWC) Annual Report to Congressional Leaders kicks off March 9 with scheduled meetings with elected officials on Capitol Hill.
NAWC represents a wide range of private water service industry companies that provide water and wastewater service to nearly one-quarter of all water customers in the United States.
NAWC members will talk about the broad spectrum of solutions that they provide to cities, towns, and utilities across the country and encourage Congressional leadership to support initiatives that will spur job creation, promote sustainable business practices, and provide incentives for increased partnerships between public and private sectors to provide water and wastewater service.
“As service providers, our members maintain a shared focus with elected officials: our 74 million customers are their constituents,” said NAWC Executive Director Michael Deane. “We have a common goal to protect public health and water resources for the American people. Following the regulatory guidelines put forth by Congress and the Administration, our members implement the Clean Water Act and Safe Drinking Water Act and provide quality and reliable water service all day every day.”
NAWC said Congress can lead on water issues in several ways:
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support the Sustainable Water Infrastructure Investment Act (H.R. 537), a bill sponsored by Rep. Bill Pascrell, Jr., (D-N.J.) and 36 of his colleagues, which expands the use and availability of tax-exempt financing for water projects. It is estimated that by removing existing restrictions to this financing could support upwards of 57,000 jobs in 2010;
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reauthorize the Clean Water State Revolving Loan Fund and the Water Infrastructure Financing Act (S.1005) to and enable private water service providers to extend much-needed wastewater solutions and service to under-served communities and non-compliant systems; and
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consider the development of an infrastructure bank that would act as a real bank and encourage public-private partnerships.