The U.S. has over one million miles of pipes that carry the country’s water supply. However, many of those pipes are aging and becoming out-of-date. With water impacting every American’s life, investing in our nation’s water delivery systems is crucial. The need to invest in water delivery systems over the years has only increased and is a more pressing issue. The problem is not just aging pipes. The sources of the drinking water are also becoming out-of-date, which include depleted aquifers and inadequate storage. As land and population distribution continue to change, new demands emerge.
The U.S. has faced these issues for decades. As water systems age and little investment is made into water delivery systems, the country is paying a costly price. Over the next 10 years, the U.S. will need to invest $123 billion per year to ensure that the water systems throughout the country are up-to-date.
The problem with Missouri’s drinking water infrastructure isn’t just a lack of access to water, but also the systems that are used to deliver the water. Though a majority of Missourians receive safe drinking water, there is still a portion of the population that does not live in an area that meets the minimum water quality standards established by the Environmental Protection Agency. Over 300,000 people in Missouri live in communities that have outdated water systems.
One important program to help states update their water infrastructure is the Drinking Water State Revolving Loan Fund (DWSRF), which serves as a federal-state financial assistance program in which states receive federal grants and contribute an additional 20% in matching funds. The DWSRF acts as an infrastructure bank to provide low interest loans for drinking water infrastructure projects. As recipients pay back the loans into the state’s revolving loan fund, the state makes new loans to other recipients. Through 2016, state revolving loan funds have provided more than $30 billion for water infrastructure projects.
President Trump recognizes the importance of this program for infrastructure projects, and his budget proposal calls for increasing federal funds for this program. More funding for this program will greatly benefit states like Missouri to help update its water delivery systems. As a member of the Energy and Commerce Committee, I look forward to working with President Trump to address these pressing issues.
3 comments:
Why not build the gravy pipeline from Washington DC first?
Because Blubba Long is about to make it rain on his district by voting for tRUMP Caresless Health Care Deform. Otherwise known in the DeeCee swamps as as you scratch my itch and I'll vote for what thrills you(and your donors.) There will be so much gravy from his fellow swamp dwellers in Dee Cee there won't be enuf train and truckloads for Blubba to get it all home before it gets spent elsewhere.
Anonymous 11:10,
While your telling your lies about Congressman Long; that disastrous Obamacare you speak of must be repealed and replaced!
It's already imploded in western Missouri as All insurance companies have left the plan in these counties just like all of Iowa, and soon Ohio.
Now it's up to Prrsiddnt Trump with the help of honorable Congressman Long, Congresswoman Heltzer and Senator Blunt to fix it
Harvey Hutchinson 303-522-6622 voice&text
Harvey Hutchinson: Are you on about Obamacare even on posts about water policy because you're afraid that folks will finally wake up to the fact that even with all its faults Obamacare is better than what we had before and worlds better than the destructive bills proposed by Republicans in Congress - bills that would leave millions without healthcare, shutter rural hospitals, raise premiums and deductibles (one of the things the GOP criticize about Obamacare, incidentally - their bills will make it worse), and potentially cause the entire individual healthcare market to implode. Folks with private insurance will face loss of preexisting conditions protections (via the right of states to strip essential benefits), and lifetime and annual caps will be reinstated at the will of insurance companies (for everyone, not just people on the exchanges). Yet you keep harping on Obamacare.
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