[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 80 (Tuesday, May 14, 2019)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E588-E589]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




        INTRODUCTION OF THE WATER INFRASTRUCTURE TRUST FUND ACT

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. EARL BLUMENAUER

                               of oregon

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, May 14, 2019

  Mr. BLUMENAUER. Madam Speaker, America's water systems are in crisis. 
While our clean water needs are estimated to be nearly $14 billion per 
year for the next 20 years, funding has averaged less than $1.5 billion 
annually since 2011. Drinking water infrastructure is in worse shape--
the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that we need to 
invest over $23 billion annually for the next 20 years to ensure the 
provision of safe drinking water, while Congress typically appropriates 
less than $1 billion a year. Though most of our water and wastewater 
systems are 75-100 years old, these growing challenges are not due to 
age alone: federal investment has fallen more than 85 percent since 
1977. Last year alone, American communities suffered more than 250,000 
water main breaks and saw overflowing combined sewer systems. These 
problems will only increase with inadequate and inconsistent funding. 
That is why I am introducing the Water Infrastructure Trust Fund Act of 
2019.
  This legislation will provide a small, deficit-neutral source of 
revenue to help states replace, repair, and rehabilitate critical clean 
and

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drinking water facilities. Half of the trust fund revenue will be 
distributed to local governments as grants and loans through the Clean 
Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) for wastewater treatment 
construction, while the other half will be distributed through the 
Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF) to finance projects to meet 
federal drinking water standards. The Water Infrastructure Trust Fund 
will be capitalized by a voluntary labeling and fee system, to which 
businesses that rely on a clean water source can opt-in. Participating 
businesses would include a small label on their products indicating 
their commitment to protecting America's clean water, contributing 
$0.03 to the trust fund per labelled unit. Businesses and products that 
could take advantage of the labeling system include: water-based 
beverages, products disposed of in wastewater, and pharmaceuticals.
  I look forward to working with my colleagues to reduce pollution, 
protect public health, and provide the funding communities need to 
ensure clean tap water.

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