National Water Research and Development Initiative Act of 2009

Floor Speech

NATIONAL WATER RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVE ACT OF 2009 -- (House of Representatives - April 23, 2009)

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Mr. POLIS. Mr. Chair, I rise in support of the National Water Research and Development Initiative Act of 2009. I thank Chairman Gordon and the Committee for working hard to reintroduce this important legislation.

Demand for water resources has increased, while our management technology and infrastructure has essentially remained unchanged since the boom of water resource-related legislation in the 1970s and 1980s. In tandem with the rise in population and shift to different regions, the increase of water use by businesses, agriculture, and other interests demonstrates the need for this important legislation. The national population explosion has already begun to stress the water resources across the country. In Colorado alone, the population has grown by over 14 percent since 2000, a common theme across the Western states and the Southeast. Our nation is experiencing water supply and quality control challenges at all levels. This legislation ensures that current demand is met, that future supply is available, and that efforts requiring immediate attention are coordinated in an effective manner.

I am grateful that Chairman Gordon and the Committee saw fit to include the language of my amendment, which creates a pilot program that will serve as a national model for conservation through energy audits of water facilities. The Environmental Protection Agency will use this model to demonstrative the effectiveness of energy audits and implement similar programs throughout the country. I thank the Chairman and the Committee staff for recognizing this important priority.

The Congressional Budget Office indicates that if enacted, this legislation would cost $8 million over the next four years. That equates to a mere 6 cents per American or 14 cents per average American family. According to an EPA study in 2002, ``If capital investments remain at current levels, the potential gap between 2000 and 2019 would be approximately $122 billion for wastewater infrastructure and $102 billion for drinking water infrastructure.'' We are in a major economic crisis in this country. With increases in population over that same period expected to exponentially rise, inaction now could spell fiscal disaster for many communities for decades to come.

Many federally-coordinated programs have been enacted in the past with great success, including systems for forecasting floods and droughts and the development of water treatment and wastewater technologies, just to name a few. These have allowed our country to better manage and enhance our water resources. The legislation before us coordinates the activities of over 20 federal agencies currently charged with separately devising water resource policy, leading to less confusion over authority and implementation, which results in greater efficiency and savings for taxpayers.

Access to clean, reliable sources of water is a non-partisan issue. It affects every social, political, and economic class, affecting the prosperity and security of our communities. All Americans are looking to government to provide a forward-looking, scientifically based solution to a burgeoning problem.

We need a proactive approach to solving water resource issues in this country, one that addresses economic and environmental concerns. This bill will help ensure proper funding, maintenance, expansion, and enhancement of our conventional water and wastewater infrastructure, creating a greener, more energy efficient system for the future.

On behalf of my constituents in Colorado, and all Americans who elected us to protect their right to access to clean, reliable sources of fresh water, I urge my colleagues to vote ``Yes'' for this bill.

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