Clean Water Advocacy - Newsroom - AMSA in the News
Poll Finds Americans Willing to Pay
Higher Taxes for Clean, Safe Water
Nearly three out of four Americans would be willing to pay an additional 1
percent in taxes to ensure clean and safe water, according to the results of a
poll commissioned by wastewater utilities and released May 20.
Overall, 71 percent of respondents said they would support a tax increase if
that money were dedicated to establishing and preserving water infrastructure,
said Frank Luntz, president of Luntz Research Companies, the Washington,
D.C.-based communications firm that conducted the poll for the Association of
Metropolitan Sewerage Agencies.
"Even among Republicans, it was better than 2-1 support," Luntz told a news
conference to announce the results of the poll.
The survey itself was not released because AMSA wanted to distribute it first to
members of the Water Infrastructure Network, according to Luntz.
AMSA is a member of the Water Infrastructure Network, a group of locally elected
officials, drinking water and wastewater utilities, state environmental and
health administrators, environmental groups, and others, concerned with water
infrastructure issues.
The Water Infrastructure Network has estimated the total need for the repair and
replacement of infrastructure at about $1 trillion over 20 years, but that only
$540 billion will be available (43 DEN A-1, 03/5/01).
The Environmental Protection Agency estimates the "funding gap" at about $534
billion over the same period (190 DEN A-1, 10/1/02 ).
In the current Congress, the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee
is expected to consider soon a wastewater infrastructure funding measure (H.R.
1560) that would provide $20 billion over five years for a state revolving fund
that makes loans and grants for infrastructure improvements (97 DEN A-8,
05/20/03 ).
The Senate is expected to introduce a bill soon to fund drinking water and
wastewater infrastructure.
Interest in Dedicated Funding Gauged
AMSA commissioned the poll to determine the level of interest in clean and safe
water and a potential long-term dedicated funding source for water
infrastructure, Adam Krantz, a spokesman for the group, told BNA.
Congressional staff has expressed interest in data on public opinion regarding
the level of support for dedicated funding, Krantz added.
With no federal budget surplus, it is becoming more difficult to appropriate
money for water issues, he said. Funds for water infrastructure come from the
same appropriations used for the departments of Veterans Affairs and Housing and
Urban Development and NASA.
"You rob Peter to pay Paul. It's a tricky balance," he said.
The Water Infrastructure Network supports the creation of a dedicated fund for
water infrastructure, such as is now available for highways and aviation, Krantz
said.
The Luntz polling data were obtained from interviews with 800 registered voters
across the United States. Data were also obtained from a telephone survey in
Washington, D.C., with about 30 "daily news consumers," Luntz said. The margin
of error for the survey is plus or minus 3.5 percentage points.
The survey found Republicans and Democrats are equally supportive of programs
that would guarantee clean and safe water, Luntz said.
Federal Government Should Be Active
In another finding, 70 percent of respondents said the federal government should
play an active role in clean and safe water, according to Luntz. Water is not
seen as just a local or state issue, he said.
"People expect the quality of the water will be the same in Delaware as it is in
Oregon," Luntz said.
Moreover, he said, clean and safe water is seen more as a health care issue than
an environmental one.
If asked about the environment in general, just over half of Americans would
express either "extreme" or a "good amount" of concern, he said.
"But when you specify this is about clean water, it goes to almost three out of
four," he said.
The survey also asked respondents to prioritize among five types of
infrastructure that receive federal funding. Fifty-one percent said water should
be the top priority for receiving guaranteed federal money to help state and
local governments make improvements, Luntz said. That is more than all other
areas combined, he said.
In comparison, 23 percent of respondents said roads and highways should have top
priority; 4 percent, harbor maintenance; 12 percent, mass transit; and 4 percent
airports and aviation, he said. Six percent of respondents said they did not
know, according to Luntz.
Clean Water a Right, Not Privilege
In another finding, 61 percent of those responding said clean and safe water is
a right rather than a privilege and is an issue that will affect the next
generation, Luntz said.
Survey respondents also were asked whether they would be more likely to vote for
their member of Congress in the next election if they knew that member voted for
the creation of a federal trust fund that would guarantee annual funding for
clean and safe water treatment, according to Luntz. Seventy-seven percent
responded that they would, he said.