Bipartisan Walz Bill Will Make Clean Water More Affordable for Rural Communities

Bipartisan bill cuts through red tape and gives flexibility to local communities

Washington, DC [1/15/14] – Today, Representative Tim Walz (D-MN) and Representative Bob Latta (R-OH) announced the introduction of bipartisan legislation that will cut through bureaucratic red tape and give rural communities the flexibility they need to provide a safe, abundant supply of drinking water. The bill is supported by the National Association of Clean Water Agencies, which represents publicly owned water treatment facilities across the country.

“Everyone should have access to a clean, affordable, and abundant supply of drinking water,” Representative Walz said. “This bipartisan bill cuts through red tape and will give our rural communities the flexibility and certainty they need to provide that water supply.”

“This bipartisan bill will help communities with EPA mandated water infrastructure improvement projects.  Much of our district’s rural communities and municipalities are burdened with EPA mandates for water infrastructure projects with no financial assistance, therefore forcing communities to cover the total cost for these mandated projects,” Representative Latta said.  “If H.R. 3862 is signed into law, cash-strapped municipalities will receive much needed relief by receiving additional flexibility for managing these projects.” 

The bill would make it easier for rural communities to adhere to Clean Water Act wastewater requirements. Specifically it would:

• Codify EPA’s integrated planning process and extend EPA permit terms up to 25 years under an approved integrated plan.
• Update EPA’s affordability guidance to consider local economic conditions, site-specific local conditions, the economic outlook of a community, and implementation schedules structured to mitigate potential adverse impacts on distressed populations resulting from the costs of the improvements.
• Provide the Clean Water State Revolving Fund (SRF) an additional subsidization of at least 15% for municipalities that serve 10,000 or fewer people that meet the affordability criteria.
• Extend the Clean Water SRF repayment period from 20 years to up to 30 years.

“On behalf of communities all across the country we want to thank Congressman Tim Walz (D-MN) and Congressman Bob Latta (R-OH) for their bipartisan work on introducing The Clean Water Affordability Act. Wastewater utility rates have dramatically increased in recent years as municipalities have shouldered the burden of meeting more stringent environmental regulations,” said David Lane, Environmental & Regulatory Affairs Coordinator for the Rochester, Minnesota Water Reclamation Plant. “By cutting through bureaucratic red tape and giving local communities flexibility, this bill will make it easier for communities, like the City of Rochester, to protect the environment and improve our water quality. I urge Congress to move this legislation forward without delay.”

“Across the country, communities are struggling to pay for the critical wastewater infrastructure necessary to protect public health and the environment. NACWA thanks Congressman Bob Latta (R-OH) and Tim Walz (D-MN) for introducing The Clean Water Affordability Act to provide communities with the added flexibility to advance clean water projects while minimizing the financial impacts on already stressed ratepayers and municipal budgets.  Optimizing limited resources will help communities improve water quality and community vitality, and we urge Congress to enact this important legislation,” said Ken Kirk, Executive Director, National Association of Clean Water Agencies.

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