[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 27 (Friday, March 11, 1994)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: March 11, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
             ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS FEDERAL FINANCING BANK

                                 ______


                          HON. JAMES P. MORAN

                              of virginia

                    in the house of representatives

                         Friday, March 11, 1994

  Mr. MORAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to introduce legislation to give 
the Army Corps of Engineers the authority to borrow from the Federal 
Financing Bank in order to finance capital improvements to the 
Washington Aqueduct. I want to thank my good friend and colleague, 
Senator John Warner, for introducing this important legislation in the 
Senate and Representative Eleanor Holmes Norton for signing on as an 
original cosponsor in the House.
  Many of you may recall that from December 8 to 11 of last year, 1 
million water users in Virginia, the District of Columbia, and Maryland 
were ordered by the Environmental Protection Agency to boil their tap 
water before drinking it. More than a simple inconvenience, the water 
alert shook resident's faith in what they believed to be a safe, clean 
drinking water supply.
  Although subsequent investigations revealed that dangerous bacteria, 
chryptosporidium, was not present in the water, it was revealed that 
workers at the Washington Aqueduct had failed to respond to increasing 
levels of turbidity in the water supply. For many residents, questions 
about the cleanliness of the water supply remained well after the EPA 
rescinded its boil-water alert.
  In response to these concerns, the Corps of Engineers, which has 
operated the Washington Aqueduct since 1853, has been working closely 
with the EPA, the Council of Governments, and local government 
officials to identify ways to ensure the integrity of our water supply. 
One issue of particular concern to all the affected parties is the need 
to undertake capital improvements to the Washington Aqueduct. While the 
Corps of Engineers has identified almost $100 million in capital 
improvements that are either currently required, or may be needed in 
the next 5 years, they have not yet been undertaken because of the 
Corps' inability to borrow money necessary to begin the improvements.
  Unlike most private utilities across the country, the corps does not 
have the authority to borrow money in order to finance improvements to 
the infrastructure of the water system. Without such authority, the 
corps will be forced to require its customers to pay the costs of the 
capital improvements up front, in the form of costly water bills.
  Mr. Speaker, this situation is unacceptable. Water users should not 
be faced with a choice between exorbitant water bills or a questionable 
water supply. There is no question that with some of the piping for the 
Aqueduct dating back to its construction in 1853, these repairs are an 
absolute necessity.
  Allowing the corps to borrow from the Federal Financing Bank ensures 
that needed capital improvements can occur, while allowing customers to 
pay for the improvements over the life of the project, rather than up 
front. The corps will follow the lead of many other Federal agencies 
which regularly borrow from the Federal Financing Bank to help finance 
programs involving construction projects.
  Without necessary improvements to the Washington Aqueduct, the 
region's water supply may once against be put at risk.
  I urge my colleagues to support this legislation and ensure that 
these improvements occur in a timely fashion and that our water supply 
is protected.

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