Washington, D.C. -  Representative David Price (D-NC) has secured funding for two local water projects that will help bring clean drinking water to constituents and improve area water and wastewater treatment infrastructure capacity.  During House-Senate conference negotiations on the Department of the Interior Appropriations bill, Rep. Price maintained $1.5 million in federal investments in water resource management for the Fourth Congressional District. 

“I am proud to bring these federal investments in clean water back to my constituents,” Rep. Price said.  “Water supply has become especially important given the severe droughts the area has experienced over the past few years.  These funds will help to maintain a safe and adequate drinking water supply for Triangle residents and ensure that the area can meet future water needs.  These infrastructure projects are also going to benefit the economy by creating jobs.”        

The federal investments come on the heels of additional water and other infrastructure investments made through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.  Nearly $3.7 billion dollars in federal investments have been directed to North Carolina thus far, including more than $130 million for clean water and drinking water improvements.

Price served as a conferee during the House-Senate negotiations that resolved differences between the two body’s bills.  The bill is expected to be passed by the House and Senate this week before being signed into law by the President.  The bill would invest $3.6 billion in clean drinking water and wastewater infrastructure improvements nationwide, including:

• $500,000 for the Dempsey E. Benton Water Treatment Plant Backwash Waste Facility in Raleigh.  The wastewater plant is schedule to come online in 2010, allowing the city of Raleigh to meet the area’s future water needs by providing additional reliability and system capacity.  The federal investment will go to a system to filter sedimentation residuals out of water before it is returned to Lake Benson.

• $1,000,000 for the Western Wake Regional Wastewater Management Facility in the Town of Cary.  The facility, once completed, will allow Wake County and the towns of Apex, Cary and Morrisville to meet state requirements on returning reclaimed water to the Cape Fear River. 

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