Blunt Rochester, McKinley Introduce Legislation to Improve Water Infrastructure
Washington,
April 28, 2020
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Andrew Donnelly
(302-893-4406)
WASHINGTON – Representatives Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.) and David B. McKinley (R-W. Va.) introduced legislation to provide grants for small public water systems to help them upgrade aging infrastructure and minimize water loss. The bill is a House companion to Senate Bill 2674, the “Assuring Quality Water Infrastructure Act of 2019” led by Senators Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) and Ben Cardin (D-MD).
“I believe that every person deserves access to clean water, which is why I’m proud to introduce this bipartisan bill with Congressman McKinley. The “Assuring Quality Water Infrastructure Act” would improve the infrastructure of small water systems. For instance, localities could use these grants to prevent water loss throughout the system or implement leak detection measures,” said Rep. Blunt Rochester. “We have nearly 200 small public water systems in Delaware, so helping those localities improve their infrastructure will directly impact communities’ access to clean water. These small water systems often lack the resources to implement these upgrades, which is why this bill is so important. I will continue to find bipartisan, common-sense approaches to improving our water infrastructure in Delaware and across the country,”
“Water infrastructure challenges are one of the most common complaints we hear from communities across the district. Small, rural water systems are often strained and lack the resources to upgrade infrastructure to provide clean water. Currently, in West Virginia out of 443 community water systems, 418 serve areas fewer than 10,000 people,” said Rep. McKinley. “This bipartisan legislation would allow areas to identify and improve infrastructure to prevent leaks that are costly to these communities.”
“Access to public drinking water is generally regarded as one of the greatest public health advancements in rural America. We thank Representative McKinley and Rochester for sponsoring the “Assuring Quality Water Infrastructure Act” in the House of Representatives and efforts to assist rural communities with the latest technologies and advances that will help us provide safe drinking water to the public for every second of every day,” said Mike Keegan, Policy Analyst for the National Rural Water Association.
More information about the legislation -- including bill text -- can be found HERE.
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