[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 112 (Friday, August 3, 2001)]
[Senate]
[Page S8959]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Ms. CANTWELL (for herself and Mrs. Murray):
  S. 1385. A bill to authorize the Secretary of the Interior, pursuant 
to the provisions of the Reclamation Wastewater and Groundwater Study 
and Facilities Act to participate in the design, planning, and 
construction of the Lakehaven water reclamation project for the 
reclamation and reuse of water; to the Committee on Energy and Natural 
Resources.
  Ms. CANTWELL. Mr. President, I rise today to introduce important 
legislation to improving the capacity and reliability of wastewater 
systems in the State of Washington.
  I thank my friend, Washington state's senior Senator, Patty Murray, 
who worked on this legislation in the last Congress and who has been a 
champion of clean water as a member of this body. I look forward to 
working with her as we build on those efforts in the years to come.
  The United States economy, the strongest economy in the world, is 
built on our human infrastructure and our physical infrastructure. We 
have among the most comprehensive air traffic, public transit, highway, 
and navigable waterway transportation systems; perhaps the most 
sophisticated energy transmission grids and communication networks; and 
the most effective drinking water and wastewater systems in the world.
  However, in the face of the natural aging and deterioration of these 
resources, combined with significant population growth, our Nation has 
a massive need for investment in the maintenance and improvement of our 
resources. Our Nation's economic health, and literally the physical 
health of our constituents, depends on that investment.
  In March, the American Society of Civil Engineers released a ``Report 
Card for America's Infrastructure.'' After an extensive survey of the 
Nation's infrastructure, the group of professionals perhaps most 
familiar with the technical capabilities of the roads, bridges, dams, 
runways, and water treatment plants, gave our Nation a cumulative grade 
of D+. The group estimated that our Nation needs to invest $1.3 
trillion over the next five years to bring our infrastructure up to the 
standards that keep our overall economy out of the gridlock that has 
gripped many of our metropolitan areas, that will keep our families 
safe, and that simply befits the nature of this great Nation in 
striving to be the best in the world.
  The legislation that my colleague and I are introducing today 
addresses only a small piece of this infrastructure, but it is 
nonetheless important in addressing the growth of our region and the 
impacts of that growth on the water systems of one part of Washington. 
This legislation will authorize one project, in one area of our state, 
but it is essential to maintaining water quality in the Puget Sound 
region for fish habitat, for wetland restoration, and for meeting the 
growing demands for water in the many communities served by the 
Lakehaven Utility District.
  Since 1972 the Federal Government has spent about $73 billion on 
wastewater treatment programs. That's certainly no minor contribution, 
and we have made progress, the elimination of nearly 85 percent of 
wastewater. Unfortunately, with aging water collection and treatment 
systems across the Nation, it is still estimated that between 35 
percent and 45 percent of U.S. surface waters do not meet current 
water-quality standards. Our Nation's 16,000 wastewater systems still 
face enormous infrastructure funding needs.
  While last year Congress appropriated $1.35 billion for wastewater 
infrastructure, and another $1.35 billion in the legislation for fiscal 
year 2002 that this body passed yesterday, EPA has estimated that we 
will need to spend $126 billion by 2016 to fully achieve secondary 
treatment improvements of existing facilities. So we still have a long 
way to go, and I intend to keep working on increasing that Federal 
commitment with my colleagues.
  Again, the legislation that we are introducing today will take steps 
toward solving some of these infrastructure needs in the Puget Sound 
area and I will take a moment to explain the legislation.
  The Lakehaven Utility District is one of Washington State's largest 
water and sewer utilities providing 10.5 million gallons of water a day 
to over 100,000 residents and numerous corporate facilities in south 
King county and parts of Pierce county. The demand for water from these 
sources has increased to a point that the district may soon exceed safe 
water production limits and has resulted in reduction of water levels 
in all local aquifers.
  The District has two secondary wastewater treatment plants that 
currently discharge more than 6 million gallons of water a day to Puget 
Sound and the district is certain that techniques successfully used in 
many parts of this Nation to utilize reclaimed water to manage 
groundwater levels could be used in this region. The district has 
prepared a plan to construct additional treatment systems at the two 
wastewater treatment plants in the district, to improve pipeline 
distribution systems for transporting water to the reuse areas, and 
systems to direct water back to the aquifer system. if we make these 
improvements, the district will be able to better maintain stream 
levels during droughts and recharge the aquifers without using 
additional surface water.
  The legislation authorizes the Bureau of Reclamation to assist in the 
planning, land acquisition and construction of this important water 
reclamation project. The bill limits the Federal contribution to 25 
percent and would comply with other limitations and obligations of the 
Reclamation Wastewater and Groundwater Study and Facilities Act.
  This project would begin to meet the needs of improving the 
wastewater systems serving a large segment of the Northwest population, 
and will provide additional protection for vital natural resources, 
using economically feasible and proven technologies. The Federal 
Government has a role in maintaining these systems and assisting in 
building additional infrastructure to handle our nation's massive 
needs.
  Thus I urge my colleagues to join with us in support of this critical 
legislation for the state of Washington and our Nation, I look forward 
to working with my colleagues to expeditiously take up and pass this 
bill.
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