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November 2, 2001 Fax Alert

Member Pipeline - Fax Alerts - November 2, 2001

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November 2, 2001


AMSA Testifies in Senate on Water Infrastructure Funding Gap
Paul Pinault, AMSA Vice President and Executive Director of the Narragansett Bay Commission in Providence, Rhode Island, testified this week before the Senate Subcommittee on Fisheries, Wildlife and Water at a hearing focusing on stretching available water infrastructure dollars. Pinault explained that municipal governments are being innovative in stretching existing funds, but that increased federal funding remains a critical necessity to ensure the future of the nation=s aging water and wastewater infrastructure. Pinault mentioned the creative measures public wastewater utilities have been taking in handling their public debt, including asset management initiatives, environmental management systems, and debt restructuring. At the hearing, Senator Kit Bond (R-MO) expressed a desire to have water infrastructure legislation through Congress by October 2002 - the 30th anniversary of the Clean Water Act. AMSA will continue its work with Congress on a comprehensive water and wastewater infrastructure funding bill. AMSA’s testimony is available at http://www.amsa-cleanwater.org/advocacy/testimony/10-31-01testimony.cfm.


AMSA Task Force Endorses Key Security Initiatives
AMSA’s Security Task Force met this week and endorsed a number of critical security initiatives. These included AMSA’s sending of a grant application to EPA, in line with the Agency’s request that AMSA do so, seeking funding for its wastewater security initiatives. These initiatives include the creation of an asset-based security checklist and a risk-based, vulnerability assessment software tool for crisis situations, including but not limited to terrorist attacks. The checklist, to be completed and sent to AMSA members soon, will be a key tool in aiding public wastewater utility officials as they make initial assessments of their assets that may require increased protection. The vulnerability assessment software, being developed by security experts in conjunction with AMSA, will be a comprehensive, user-friendly software tool to help prioritize security concerns and ensure the prevention of potential disruptions as well as the continuation of wastewater services. AMSA’s Board also voted to fund a number of key Technical Action Fund (TAF) projects, including the development of a legal checklist to help POTWs develop sound, legal policies within the security context. AMSA will continue to update its members on its security initiatives and TAF projects in future Alerts and Updates.


AMSA Comments on Proposed Test Methods for Bacteria
AMSA submitted comments this week on EPA’s August 30, 2001 proposal to add several analytical test procedures for enumerating the bacteria, escherichia coli (E. coli) and enterococci, and the protozoans, cryptosporidium and giardia, to the list of Agency-approved test methods. AMSA’s comments on the proposed methods highlight the fact that the bacteria procedures are only approved for monitoring in ambient water and not wastewater treatment plant effluent. Absent approved methods for testing effluent for these bacterial indicators, AMSA’s comments explain, POTWs and regulators will be hard-pressed to assess effluent quality for bacteria accurately. AMSA will continue to track EPA’s activity on this issue. AMSA’s comments can be downloaded and viewed at http://www.amsa-cleanwater.org/private/legreg/outreach/10-29-01ecolicomments.pdf.