Press Releases

Private Water Providers Request Access to DW-SRF

The National Association of Water Companies and the American Water Works Association delivered the following letter today to U.S. House of Representatives Appropriations Committee Chairman Obey and Ranking Member Lewis.

The Honorable Dave Obey
Chairman
House Appropriations Committee
H-218 Capitol Building
Washington, DC 20515

The Honorable Jerry Lewis
Ranking Member
House Appropriations Committee
1016 Longworth H.O.B.
Washington, DC 20515

Dear Chairman Obey and Ranking Member Lewis:

We are writing today to ask you to address a problem in the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DW-SRF) section in title VIII of HR 3. Regrettably this section excludes private water service providers from full access to the DW-SRF which private utilities and their customers have enjoyed since its inception in 1996.

Correcting this language is about providing to all Americans equal access to the DW-SRF. This is because the benefits the DW-SRF provides are passed on to the customers of private utilities. The various State Public Utility Commissions, who oversee and set the rates of private utilities, assure this and have a long record of supporting equal access of private utilities to such federal programs.

The credit crisis has made capital more costly to all water service providers. Now more than ever, there is a need for low-interest capital which directly translates into the cost of water: the more cheaply water infrastructure can be constructed or replaced, the more affordable water will be for water customers and your constituents. Everyday, about 33.5 million Americans receive water from a private water service provider, and they should be treated equally.

We have supported your commendable effort to stimulate the economy through increased investment in the State Revolving Funds for water and wastewater infrastructure and now we respectfully request your assistance in correcting this problem. Private water service providers stand ready to fully participate in America’s economic recovery effort.

Regards,

American Water Works Association
National Association of Water Companies

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