Bridge the Gap for Clean Water Funding

The Minneapolis bridge collapse shook the nation into a debate over highway funding and rekindled concern over the aging infrastructure America depends on not just as part of daily life but for the continued economic growth and prosperity of the nation.  But as we descend into the rubble to repair and recover from tragedy and shock, we should reflect that while the ribbons of highway paving our nation may be our most visibly aging and deteriorating structures, what lies beneath the roads in pipes and wastewater treatment facilities pose a threat to the safety and security of our communities’.  As described by Senator Chuck Hagel in a recent interview on NPR:

[It is the] entire framework of infrastructure in this country that is aging and it is going to require a tremendous amount of funding to maintain it and that does not even include what we are going to need to enhance our infrastructures to not only keep us safe but productive Americans.

Eighty six per cent of our homes use public water utilities to provide us clean and safe drinking water and to protect our neighborhoods and environment from sewage pollution.  However our nation’s clean water utilities tie with transportation infrastructure at the back of the class, receiving a D-rating from the American Society of Civil Engineers. 

How then can we win back our water, preserve our pipes and prevent more pollution?  How can we deliver consistent funding to ensure safe, sustainable clean water facilities not destined for destruction? 

In recent days, delegates have been deliberating on how to divvy dollars for road rehabilitation, toying with public-private funding mechanisms.  However, for water and sewer spending, Food & Water Watch calls for a clear and consistent cash source by way of a public Clean Water Trust Fund.  No more yearly bickering over budget bucks, our families need a commitment from the federal government that America will finance public facilities for our future.

Join the movement to protect America’s water.  Tell congress to provide the funds needed to protect our water sources and keep our water clean and safe.

Learn more about Protecting America’s Water and the Case for Clean Water Trust Fund at our website:
http://www.foodandwaterwatch.org/water/americaswater