Water Associations Applaud Senate Approval of WRDA 2016

Last week, water groups praised the Senate Environment & Public Works Committee on passing the Water Resources Development Act of 2016 (WRDA) by a strong, bipartisan vote of 19-1.

EPW Committee Chairman, Sen. James Inhofe (R-Okla.) and ranking member Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) released a statement praising the bill. The legislation still needs to be voted on by the full Senate and the House of Representatives must pass its own version. The legislation appears on track to go to the Senate floor this summer, although Inhofe and Boxer did not repeat their earlier prediction that the bill would receive a floor vote before July 4.
On the drinking water side, AMWA applauded the bill for its inclusion of several new funding and oversight programs in response to the Flint, Michigan water crisis. It also offers emergency funding to help Flint replace lead pipes and plumbing components while also authorizing a new program to help communities nationwide pay for the replacement of lead service lines.