[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 122 (Tuesday, September 17, 2013)]
[Senate]
[Page S6522]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. CARDIN (for himself, Mrs. Boxer, and Mr. Reid):
  S. 1508. A bill to authorize the Administrator of the Environmental 
Protection Agency to establish a program of awarding grants to owners 
or operators of water systems to increase the resiliency or 
adaptability of the systems to any ongoing or forecasted changes to the 
hydrologic conditions of a region of the United States; to the 
Committee on Environment and Public Works.
  Mr. CARDIN. Mr. President, our existing water infrastructure is 
crumbling. The longer we ignore the problem, the more it costs us. The 
truth is that we are in a crisis that can be averted. There is no need 
to lose revenue from disrupted business and flooded streets. Our water 
infrastructure may be buried and out of sight and out of mind; but 
today we must elevate these systems to the priority level they deserve.
  Each year within my home State of Maryland I witness stark reminders 
of what cities across the Nation are facing. In July of this year, 
Prince George's County, MD, experienced a breakdown of its most 
essential public infrastructure when a water main serving 100,000 
people began to fail. Mandatory water restrictions were instituted, 
limiting access to water for homes and businesses during an intense 
heat wave that saw the heat index repeatedly reach the triple digits. 
At the National Harbor, one hotel evacuated 3,000 guests and was forced 
to cancel upcoming reservations. Included in the affected area is Joint 
Base Andrews, which publicized plans to shut down a long list of 
services, including appointments at its medical center.
  There are incidents like this happening all across America. The 
reports are startling. They confirm what every water utility 
professional knows: we need massive reinvestment in our water 
infrastructure now and over the coming decades. The Nation's drinking 
water infrastructure--especially the underground pipes that deliver 
safe drinking water to America's homes and businesses--is aging. Like 
many of the roads, bridges, and other public assets on which the 
country relies, most of our buried drinking water infrastructure was 
built 50 or more years ago, in the post-World War II era of rapid 
demographic change and economic growth. Some of our systems are even 
older; in Baltimore, where I live, many of the pipes were installed in 
the 1800s. We need investment to deal with changing population needs 
and changing hydrological conditions. We have no other choice but to 
elevate it to a public safety priority and to take action now.
  The Water Infrastructure Resiliency and Sustainability Act aims to 
help local communities meet the challenges of upgrading water 
infrastructure systems to meet the hydrological changes we are seeing 
today. The bill directs the EPA to establish a Water Infrastructure 
Resiliency and Sustainability program. Grants will be awarded to 
eligible water systems to make the necessary upgrades. Communities 
across the country will be able to compete for Federal matching funds, 
which in turn will help finance projects to help communities overcome 
these threats.
  Improving water conservation, adjustments to current infrastructure 
systems, and funding programs to stabilize communities' existing water 
supply are all projects WIRS grants will fund. WIRS will never grant 
more than 50 percent of any project's cost, ensuring cooperation 
between local communities and the Federal government. The EPA will try 
to award funds that use new and innovative ideas as often as possible.
  It's estimated that by 2020, the forecasted deficit for sustaining 
water delivery and wastewater treatment infrastructure, will trigger a 
$206 billion increase in costs for businesses. In a worst case 
scenario, a lack of water infrastructure investment will cause the 
United States to lose nearly 700,000 jobs by 2020.
  A healthy water infrastructure system is as important to America's 
economy as paved roads and sturdy bridges. Water and wastewater 
investment has been shown to spur economic growth. The U.S. Conference 
of Mayors has found that for every dollar invested in water 
infrastructure, the Gross Domestic Product is increased to more than 
$6. The Department of Commerce has found that that same dollar yields 
close to $3 worth of economic output in other industries. Every job 
created in local water and sewer industries creates close to four jobs 
elsewhere in the national economy.
  We know that a reactive mode causes us to lose billions in revenue in 
the short-term. Let us instead take a proactive approach, making 
strategic investments in innovative projects designed to meet the 
current and future needs of our water systems. That is the purpose of 
the Water Infrastructure Resiliency and Sustainability Act.
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