Despite historic levels of federal funding for water over the past few years, clean water agencies know that at the local level many communities are feeling more constrained than ever. Capital projects are more costly, uncertainty looms surrounding potential regulatory changes that are driving compliance costs up, and operations, maintenance, and labor costs have escalated. NACWA has long advocated for increased funding for the water sector in order to narrow the gap between what the federal government invests in other critical sectors – such as transportation and energy – and what the federal government should equally invest in water infrastructure and ratepayer support.
NACWA remains focused on keeping Members of Congress aware and supportive of the need to increase long-term federal water investment. Similarly, we are focused on driving home to regulators that placing continued demands on clean water agencies and their customers without commensurate federal support is not a sustainable path.
These advocacy efforts on funding include:
- Advocacy with Capitol Hill, U.S. EPA and the White House regarding the need for greater federal appropriations for core water programs.
- Advocacy and leadership with Capitol Hill and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services on coalition efforts for non-traditional federal water investment, including maintaining and permanently authorizing the Low-Income Household Water Assistance Program.
- Making the case for a “polluter pays” approach as utilities are increasingly being required to do more.
- Supporting the work of the State Revolving Fund Programs (SRFs) to document the impact of Congressional Directed Spending (earmarks) on the SRFs and tailoring an advocacy message to the Hill that earmarks should be additive and grow the pot of overall federal investment.
- Initiating a NACWA Work Group focused on the federal funding challenge. The Work Group recommended to NACWA’s Board of Directors a communications and advocacy campaign focused in part on changing the mindset around water infrastructure investment. This effort will be a major focus for NACWA in the coming year.
Meeting the funding challenge will only happen through a combination of federal and local Congressional outreach and collective action to change the narrative around the provision of clean water services. NACWA will continue to amplify this message. We are developing a communications initiative around the environmental, health and economic benefits clean water agencies provide and the affordability constraints they and their customers are under.