Clean Water Current

(July 30, 2020) – Politico, a leading political publication that influences federal policy in Washington, DC, has used the inaugural issue of its recently unveiled sustainability publishing vertical to highlight several of the key water issues facing the country.

On Tuesday, July 28, Politico issued the first-ever edition of The Long Game, its newly introduced weekly newsletter highlighting key sustainability policy deep dives. Titled The Water Wars, this issue began by focusing on the current debate raging over water shutoff moratoriums, revenue shortfalls facing utilities as a result of COVID-19, and what the future of utility finances looks like as the pandemic rages on. Featured in this section was NACWA’s General Counsel and Chief Advocacy Officer, Nathan Gardner-Andrews, who drew attention to the challenges facing clean water utilities due to revenue shortfalls.

NACWA has been advocating to Congress since the coronavirus crisis began that while most water utilities would refrain from disconnecting water service to homes during the pandemic as a result of nonpayment, that the resulting shortfall must be remedied by Congress in the form of a COVID-19 stimulus relief package. However, the overall affordability challenges facing communities, which existed long before COVID-19 and are only being exacerbating by it, cannot be subsumed or addressed by overly simplistic talking points around moratoriums for water shutoffs. The Association is working hard to share this message not only through direct advocacy on Capitol Hill but also through strategic placement in influential media publications like Politico.  

For questions or comments on NACWA’s presence in the media, please contact David Zielonka, NACWA’s Manager of Media and Communications.