The Hill News

In past weeks, there has been much discussion on Capitol Hill of the need to repair America’s crumbling infrastructure. As a professional working in infrastructure finance policy for many years â€" and as former Associate Assistant Administrator for Water in the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency â€" I’m encouraged to see infrastructure finally a topic of national interest, but I find it troubling that the nation’s water infrastructure needs are continually overlooked. 

 Our drinking water and wastewater treatment systems provide the lifeblood for economic vitality in our communities, as well as protect our public health and environment.  The water sector faces many of the same challenges as our transportation colleagues, such as deteriorating infrastructure, delayed construction, and diminishing public funds. But unlike our nation’s highways, the water industry has had great success in leveraging private investment.   Like our infrastructure it! self, our financing systems need to be overhauled for a modern world to meet its modern demands.

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