The Water Systems Council (WSC) has expressed emphatic support for the presentation of bipartisan legislation to address the aging water infrastructure in the U.S. The organization focuses on household wells and water well systems.
Introduced by U.S. Senators John Boozman (R-AR), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Jim Inhofe (R-OK) and Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), the Securin Required Funding for Water Infrastructure Now (SRF WIN) bill would attempt to fuse the benefits of state revolving funds (SRFs) and the Water Infrastructure and Innovation Act (WIFIA), empowering states to more easily invest in water infrastructure projects.
"We have a more than $500 billion shortfall for water infrastructure funding in this country. This is a national emergency. Access to safe and clean water is critical to the livelihood of every American," Boozman said. "This legislation is an innovative approach to helping communities of all sizes, in every state secure loans so they can improve their crumbling infrastructure."
Specifically, the bill would authorize $200 million annually in federal loans over a five years period, encourage states to bundle their projects in order to waive fees, attempt to simplify the federal approval process and preserve successful SRFs.
