APWA Applauds Congress On The Passage Of Bipartisan Water Infrastructure Bill

The American Public Works Association (APWA) applauds Congress for passing S. 3021, “America’s Water Infrastructure Act of 2018”, which includes bipartisan elements of bills passed by several Congressional committees, including the Secure Required Funding for Water Infrastructure Now (SRF WIN) Act, the Drinking Water System Improvement Act, and other elements related to water infrastructure.

“APWA and its more than 30,000 members across the country are grateful for the bipartisan work done by Congress to pass this important water infrastructure legislation. Leadership and members for both parties worked together to arrive at common sense, consensus solutions to help America’s communities operate and maintain their water infrastructure. America’s Water Infrastructure Act of 2018 includes the bipartisan Securing Required Funds for Water Infrastructure Now (SRF WIN) Act language, as well as the bipartisan Drinking Water Systems Improvement Act language. These important proposals will help communities across our nation maintain and enhance their water infrastructure by providing much needed financial support and resources,” said APWA President David L. Lawry, P.E.

Inclusion of the SRF WIN Act helps communities across our nation maintain and enhance their water infrastructure by providing much needed financial support. The legislation provides dedicated federal funding, directly to states, allowing our nation’s communities to finance essential water infrastructure projects. By applying the leveraging component of the Water Infrastructure Finance Innovation Act (WIFIA) program directly to the state-administered State Revolving Fund (SRF) programs, SRF WIN has combined the best elements of both programs. Additionally, by providing funding directly to state financing authorities, as prescribed in WIFIA, the legislation has streamlined the application process, allowing states to bundle projects from their intended use plan into one application. Finally, SRF WIN includes language preserving continued federal funding for the SRF Capitalization Grant program and WIFIA, ensuring that funding levels for those programs will not decrease.

Inclusion of the Drinking Water Systems Improvement Act provides much needed support for the repair and renewal of millions of miles of aging water infrastructure throughout the country. APWA is heartened that the legislation reauthorizes the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF) program and increases funding levels over the next three years.

S. 3021 was approved unanimously by the House of Representatives on September 13, and today by the Senate with a vote of 99-1. The bill now heads to the White House to be signed into law by President Trump.

APWA has been working tirelessly advocating for the passage of this important legislation, holding countless meetings, sending multiple letters of support to Congress, and facilitating successful grassroots advocacy movements.

APWA Executive Director Scott D. Grayson, CAE, released the following statement on the passage of the bill, “APWA and our 30,000 members are so pleased to see the incredible bipartisan efforts in both the House and Senate to develop a bill that will help protect the public health and safety of America.”

For questions or comments regarding S. 3021, please contact Sean Garcia, Government Affairs Manager sgarcia@apwa.net or (202)218-6734. For media related inquiries, please contact Emily Dowsett Government Affairs Media Manager, at edowsett@apwa.net or (202)701-4554.

About APWA
The American Public Works Association is a not-for-profit, international organization of more than 30,000 members involved in the field of public works. APWA supports those who operate, improve and maintain public works and infrastructure through advocacy, education, and member engagement. APWA is headquartered in Kansas City, MO, has an office in Washington, DC, and 63 chapters in North America. For more information, visit www.apwa.net.