May 14, 2009
Thursday’s Water News: EPW Passes SRF Authorization
The Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works today passed the Water Infrastructure Financing Act (S. 1005) which would authorize $20 billion for the Clean Water State Revolving Fund and $14.7 billion for the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund over the next five years. The legislation also includes $1.8 billion included for sewer overflow control grants and $1.43 billion in grants for critical drinking water infrastructure projects.
A similar bill, H.R. 1262, passed the House in March but only authorizes funding for the Clean Water SRF and not the Drinking Water SRF. The legislation must now be voted on by the full Senate and pass before going to conference. The Clean Water SRF and Drinking Water SRF have not been reauthorized in 22 years and 13 years, respectively.
Headlines
In Kentucky, about 20,000 Louisville Water Company customers have been put under a boil-water advisory after a 60-inch main broke Wednesday morning.
In Pittsburgh, a break yesterday in a 8-inch water main caused an 18-inch sewer to collapse causing a 25 feet wide and 15 feet deep in the middle of the road.
Stimulus Spotlight
The town of Boones Mill, Virginia will receive $3.3 million in stimulus money from the state’s Drinking Water State Revolving Loan Fund which will fund a new filtration plant, electric water meters and replacement of waterlines.
Sewer Rate News
Agawam, Massachusetts
Joplin, Missouri
