Guest Columns

Fountain Valley Implements Water Restrictions, Exceeds Reduction Goal with 23 Percent Decrease By Mark Sprague The images tell the story. Dried up reservoirs, cracked dirt and empty swimming pools are reminders of the ongoing California drought. But what most people don’t see is water providers workingRead More

The 2016 Republican and Democratic Party platforms, released at each of the party’s national conventions, convey vastly different ideas and visions for the future of water infrastructure needs in the United States. The 2016 Republican Platform, released last month at the Republican National Convention inRead More

By Adam Krantz & Nathan Gardner-Andrews All of us in the water sector have reacted with a combination of horror, deep concern and confusion as the drinking water crisis in Flint, Mich., played out in recent months. The worst municipal water crisis in the United StatesRead More

In April, the Senate Environment & Public Works (EPW) Committee passed the Water Resources Development Act of 2016 (WRDA) by a strong, bipartisan vote of 19-1. The main purpose of the bill is to authorize a variety of public works, navigation and environmental restoration projectsRead More

In April, Senate Environment and Public Works Committee (EPW) member Ben Cardin (D-Md.) and many Democratic colleagues introduced the Testing, Removal, and Updated Evaluations of Lead Everywhere in America for Dramatic Enhancements that Restore Safety to Homes, Infrastructure, and Pipes Act of 2016 or theRead More

In February, Sens. Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) and Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) introduced legislation, S. 2606, the Sustainable Water Infrastructure Investment Act to spur capital investment and to ensure the reliability and safety of the nation’s water infrastructure. Reps. Bill Pascrell (D-N.J.) and Jimmy Duncan (R-Tenn.) have also introduced the same bill in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Last week, U. S. Senators Gary Peters (D-Mich.) and Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.) and Rep. Dan Kildee (D-Mich.) said they would pursue legislation that would pay up to $400 million, matching dollar-for-dollar state investments, for replacing lead service lines and other water infrastructure repairs in Flint.

Among the proposals highlighted by Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo last week was $250 million for drinking water and wastewater infrastructure projects around the state. Also last week, Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton unveiled a plan to spend $220 million to modernize the state?s aging water system.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has released a survey showing that $271 billion is needed to maintain and improve the nation?s wastewater infrastructure.

Last week, more than 100 finance professionals in the areas of water, wastewater and stormwater gathered in Cleveland, Ohio, for the inaugural Water Finance Conference.