NACWA and AMWA Launch Affordable Water, Resilient Communities Campaign
The National Association of Clean Water Agencies (NACWA) and the Association of Metropolitan Water Agencies (AMWA) launched a joint Affordable Water, Resilient Communities campaign to highlight the critical role of water utilities in their communities and the nation and the need for increased federal investment in water infrastructure. Timed to coincide with the start of a new presidential administration and a new Congress, the campaign will help elevate the importance of water and water infrastructure at a time when national policy discussions are ripe for greater attention to investment.
The campaign will focus on advocacy and communication outreach to Congress, federal and local policymakers, and water stakeholders around three key issues:
  • The need for greater federal investment in water infrastructure, both by expanding existing federal programs but also by prioritizing water investment in any large infrastructure legislation and/or additional COVID-19 relief legislation.
  • The importance of rapid and effective distribution of the $638 million in low-income water customer assistance funds appropriated by Congress at the end of 2020, along with aggressive advocacy to establish a permanent federal low-income water customer assistance program.
  • Education of policymakers, stakeholders and the public about the complex and expensive work of water utilities, and ensuring that the goal of safe and reliable water access for all Americans must be understood in the context of the costs of these services, the disproportionate economic impact on low-income households, and the efforts of utilities to address affordability challenges.