NACWA Shares Key Clean Water Priorities with Presidential Campaigns
As the 2024 presidential campaign season ramps up, NACWA is urging the candidates to prioritize critical clean water infrastructure issues.
NACWA recently submitted a letter to Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump outlining several pressing challenges that affect public health, the environment, and the economic stability of American communities and requesting that the candidates highlight clean water issues as part of their campaign messages. With the 2024 election drawing near, NACWA is committed to ensuring that clean water issues remain at the forefront of the national conversation.
As clean water utilities nationwide grapple with rising costs, aging infrastructure, and increasing regulatory demands, federal leadership and investment are vital to maintaining access to safe, reliable, and affordable water services for millions of Americans.
The key priorities NACWA highlighted to former President Trump include and Vice President Harris include:
-
Water Affordability
Across the U.S., rising water and wastewater service rates have created significant financial burdens for low-income households. NACWA is calling for the establishment of a permanent Low Income Household Water Assistance Program (LIHWAP) to provide much-needed relief to vulnerable communities.
-
Infrastructure Investment
The EPA’s 2022 Clean Watershed Needs Survey estimates that there are over $630 billion in unfunded water infrastructure needs across the country. Increased funding for key programs like the Clean Water State Revolving Fund is critical to meeting these needs, especially for wastewater treatment and stormwater management.
-
PFAS Contamination and Liability
PFAS pose one of the greatest environmental and public health challenges of our time. NACWA urges federal policies that ensure polluters, not the public or utilities, are held accountable under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) and other environmental laws, and that financial responsibility is borne by the chemical manufacturers who caused the contamination.
-
Water Workforce and Technology
NACWA supports expanding workforce development grants, with a focus on partnerships between utilities, veterans, community colleges, and vocational schools. Additionally, NACWA calls for greater investment in innovative water technologies, such as artificial intelligence, to enhance system efficiency and sustainability.
-
Cybersecurity
As utilities face increasing cybersecurity threats, it is essential to ensure that water systems are adequately protected. NACWA advocates for expanded technical and financial assistance to help utilities safeguard their infrastructure and protect national security.
For further information, please contact Danielle Cloutier, NACWA’s Director of Legislative Affairs.