Press Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Combined Water Sector Gathers in Washington to
Demand Infrastructure Funding, Research Support

Washington, DC – The nation’s leading water organizations are gathering in the nation’s capital next week to call on Congress and the Trump Administration to increase investment in water resources, specifically water infrastructure and research, and to elevate water as a national priority. 

Hundreds of drinking water, wastewater, and stormwater leaders and professionals, representing the largest water organizations in the country, will take to Capitol Hill during Water Week 2018 (scheduled for April 15 -21) and meet with lawmakers to advocate for national policies that advance clean, safe, affordable and sustainable water for all Americans. (Full events list follows).

Water sector organizations are calling on Congress to:

• Double the funding for the Drinking Water and Clean Water State Revolving Loan Funds
• Pass legislation to reauthorize and boost funding for the Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act
• Increase funding for the National Priorities Water Research Grant program to $20 million
• Strengthen protection of the nation’s waters in the 2018 Farm Bill
• Increase funding for USDA’s rural water/wastewater loan and grant program
• Increase funding for the Bureau of Reclamation’s water recycling program to $60 million

Water Week 2018 comes as the nation’s water resources and systems face growing challenges that include aging infrastructure, increased water quality concerns, workforce shortages, and climate change impacts. These challenges have been visible in recent events, such as the drinking water crisis in Flint, Michigan, harmful algal blooms in Ohio and Florida, severe drought conditions in California, and hurricane impacts in Texas, Florida, Louisiana and Puerto Rico.

Access to clean, safe and reliable water is a vital need that touches every American, without exception, every day. And now more than ever, it is critical to elevate water as a national priority.

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Media Contacts - Participating Organizations

Tommy Holmes
202-306-9530
THolmes@awwa.org
https://www.awwa.org/

Association of Metropolitan Water Agencies (AMWA)
Dan Hartnett
202-331-2820
hartnett@amwa.net
http://www.amwa.net/

Tony Viardo
202-533-1810 (ofc); 202-258-8287 (mbl)
tviardo@nacwa.org
http://www.nacwa.org/

US Water Alliance (USWA)
Abigail Gardner
412-421-0809
agardner@thevalueofwater.org
http://uswateralliance.org/

Water Environment Federation (WEF)
Steve Foley
703-684-2400
sfoley@wef.org
http://www.wef.org/

Water Environment Federation (WEF)
Travis Loop
703-684-2465
tloop@wef.org
http://www.wef.org/

The Water Research Foundation (WRF)
Carrie Capuco
571-384-2097
ccapuco@werf.org
https://www.werf.org/

Kelsey Beveridge
571-384-2099
kbeveridge@werf.org
http://www.werf.org/

WateReuse Association (WateReuse)
Zachary Dorsey
571-445-5503
zdorsey@watereuse.org
https://watereuse.org/

Water & Wastewater Equipment Manufacturers Association (WWEMA)
Vanessa Leiby
703-444-1777
vanessa@wwema.org
http://www.wwema.org/

Water Week List of Events

Download Printable Copy

PRESS RELEASE Water Week 2018