Clean Water Advocacy - Newsroom - AMSA in the News
Clean Water Report
Copyright 2005 Gale Group. All rights reserved.
Monday, January 3, 2005
ISSN: 0009-8620; Volume 43; Issue 1
Agency to promote pillars to protect water quality
(Infrastructure Outlook)
EPA will help utilities any way it can in closing the infrastructure gap but
funding does not appear part of the package, according to the agency's Office of
Water. In 2005, Benjamin Grumbles, assistant administrator for water, will
promote four pillars for infrastructure in water and wastewater industries, said
Cathy Milbourne, an EPA spokeswoman. On infrastructure, utilities need better
management, conservation measures, full-cost pricing and ways to close the gap.
EPA plans to help utilities achieve these four pillars.
"These are the key things Ben wants to push this year to achieve sustainable
infrastructure," Milbourne told CWR.
EPA will promote water use and efficiency plus conservation. Where financial
support is available, the agency will help, but these other measures will prove
more efficient.
Industry groups see funding infrastructure as key to survival and protection of
systems.
"We hope for a strong partnership with EPA and Congress that they will take
these issues seriously to protect public health," American Water Works
Association (AWWA) Executive Director Jack Hoffbuhr told CWR.
Association of Metropolitan Sewerage Agencies (AMSA) echoed the concerns of
drinking water leaders. The organization will promote legislation that creates a
trust fund to pay for infrastructure upgrades for security and regulations.
"We know it will be a tough sell, but we hope to get support to get it
introduced," AMSA Executive Director Ken Kirk told CWR.
Contacts: Cathy Milbourne, EPA, (202) 5647824,
milbourne.cathy@epa.gov; Ken Kirk,
AMSA, (202) 833-2672; Greg Kail, AWWA, (303) 734-3410,
gkail@awwa.org.