House Subcommittee Examines Clean Water Infrastructure Funding Needs
On March 11, the House Subcommittee on Water Resources and the Environment held a hearing to explore the important roles the Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) and the Water Infrastructure Financing Act (WIFIA) Program play to fund clean water infrastructure projects. On a bipartisan basis, subcommittee members and witnesses agreed that clean water utilities provide essential services, and that CWSRF and WIFIA are critical sources of federal funding for the sector. However, there was also acknowledgement that improvements can be made to both programs to increase their effectiveness. Importantly for CASA, the subcommittee’s discussion aligned with CASA’s federal policy priorities to have continued federal support for CWSRF and WIFIA.

Notable moments during the hearing’s discussion were witnesses’ suggestions on how Congress can improve the programs to enhance assistance capabilities and accessibility. Suggestions included reducing the scope of federal mandates and application contingencies associated with the programs to make them more accessible to smaller water systems; increasing the use of private activity bonds (PABs) for the water infrastructure projects; and maintain the federal government’s role of supporting water infrastructure in the future. Dan Buckley, testifying on behalf of the National Utility Contractors Association, stressed that the investment needs being discussed at the hearing only address the costs to upgrade existing infrastructure that has extended past its intended lifecycles. Additional investments, he explained, will be necessary to address costs associated with new treatment needs and requirements, such as PFAS treatment activities.

CASA continues to advocate for sustained federal assistance for the clean water sector and developing innovative policies to support clean water infrastructure systems. CASA also continues to work with lawmakers to advance commonsense legislation to extend NPDES permit terms up to ten years and establish federal “Do Not Flush” labeling requirements for non-flushable wipes.