Dear Chairs Murray and Cole, Vice Chair Collins, and Ranking Member DeLauro:
The undersigned organizations, representing businesses, NGOs, local government, and other water sector stakeholders, strongly urge you to fund several important water infrastructure programs authorized in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA, P.L. 117-58). While authorized, these programs have not yet received near-adequate funding, and we urge you to include funding in the FY 2025 appropriations process at least at the level requested in the President’s budget. Building smart, modern, resilient, and sustainable infrastructure is among our top priorities.
We sent a similar letter last year and suggest that a funding increase at least consistent with the President’s budget be provided for following issue areas and programs:
· Small and disadvantaged communities: Catalyzing assistance for small, rural, disadvantaged, and underserved communities around funding for water infrastructure, affordability, lead pipe replacement, especially for schools, technical assistance, and access to technologies to address water quality concerns at the household level (e.g., point of use/point of entry water filtration systems). This funding should also include the low-income household water assistance pilot projects. EPA is already working on the needs assessment required under the IIJA. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce and key partners released the Small and Disadvantaged Community Water Funding Roadmap to compile and add to the technical assistance that EPA is already providing.
· Resilience: Promoting resilience, cybersecurity, and sustainability for water and wastewater systems, including through nature-based solutions and leveraging public-private partnerships, as well as deployment of USGS ‘super’ gauges throughout river basins to monitor nutrient loading.
· Technology innovation: Establishing an advanced technology grant program, a decentralized wastewater program, and a pilot for waste-to-energy solutions to drive innovation, lower costs, and improve efficiency.
Our organizations recommend continued full funding for State Revolving Funds and the Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act and also support the Water Reuse Interagency Working Group to integrate approaches to public and industrial water recycling.
We again urge your support for important water and resilience funding in the FY25 appropriations and will follow up with you and your staff to answer any questions you may have. Thank you for your leadership.
Sincerely,
American Society of Civil Engineers
City Parks Alliance
Ecological Restoration Business Association
International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials
Interstate Council on Water Policy
Mississippi River Cities and Towns Initiative
National Association of Clean Water Agencies
National Association of Counties
National Groundwater Association
National League of Cities
National Recreation and Park Association
The Nature Conservancy
Rural Community Assistance Partnership
U.S. Chamber of Commerce
U.S. Conference of Mayors
Water Environment Federation
WateReuse Association
Water Quality Association
cc: Members of the Senate Committee on Appropriations
Members of the House Committee on Appropriations
