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April 14, 2020
Dear Speaker Pelosi, Leader McConnell, Leader Schumer, Leader Hoyer, and Leader McCarthy,
As the nation grapples with the worst public health and economic crisis we have seen in a century, Congress must take action to ensure that everyone in this country has access to the clean water they need to keep their families safe. The global COVID-19 pandemic has magnified and exacerbated the existing challenges facing our water systems and the inequities blocking access to clean, safe water. Since the CDC says[i] one of the most important tools for combatting the novel coronavirus is to wash your hands and clean and disinfect your home, access to clean water can literally mean life or death. Too many communities, especially low income and communities of color, suffer from failing water infrastructure, polluted water supplies, unaffordable water rates, and many other water issues that make it even more difficult to survive in this time of chaos and crisis. Yet, despite three coronavirus response packages passed so far, no provisions have been included to provide clean water to those who lack it.
The American Society of Civil Engineers gives our wastewater infrastructure a D+ grade and our drinking water infrastructure a D, citing failing pipes–many over a century old–and emerging water contaminants.[ii] Moreover, too many communities in this country still lack even basic wastewater and drinking water services. The EPA’s Drinking Water Infrastructure Needs Survey, released in October 2018, estimates we need to invest over $470 billion over the next 20 years to maintain and improve our systems.[iii] The Clean Watershed Needs Survey, last conducted in 2012, estimates an additional $271 billion in wastewater and stormwater infrastructure needs.[iv] However, if we made the necessary investments in our water infrastructure, it would result in over $220 billion in total annual economic activity and generate and sustain about 1.3 million jobs over a 10 year period.[v] For our health and our economy, we cannot wait to address these challenges any longer.
We need immediate action that will ensure every individual and family has access to the clean water they need as well as real, significant, longer-term investment in our water programs and systems across the country to finally eliminate water inequities, spur economic recovery and growth, and build strong, resilient communities.
Immediate Actions to Protect Public Health During Covid-19 Crisis
Congress must take action to address immediate needs, including:
In addition to immediate actions to address the critical need of providing safe water supplies, Congress should ensure that clean and safe drinking water is prioritized in future packages aimed at restoring our communities and reviving the economy.
Protecting and Strengthening our Communities
Congress should invest in infrastructure to stimulate economic growth and protect public health, including:
Investing in Long-Term Economic Recovery and Sustainability
Congress should also invest in programs that will be important for long-term recovery from this global pandemic and will ensure our communities are sustainable and prepared for future crises. In particular, Congress should:
As Congress looks to future legislation to address the public health and economic challenges created by COVID-19, we urge you to strongly consider the above requests. We must ensure that everyone in this country has access to the clean water they need in this crisis, and that we make smart, real investments in our water infrastructure to build more resilient communities, protect public health, and create good jobs and a stronger economy.
Thank you,
Alabama Rivers Alliance
Alaska Community Action on Toxics
Alice Ferguson Foundation
Alliance for the Great Lakes
Alliance of Nurses for Healthy Environments
American Littoral Society
American Rivers
American Sustainable Business Council
Amigos Bravos
Bayou City Waterkeeper
Black Millennials 4 Flint
Cahaba River Society
California Coastkeeper Alliance
California League of Conservation Voters
Center for Biological Diversity
Center for Climate Change and Health
Center for Environmental Health
Children’s Environmental Health Network
Clean Water Action
ClimatePlan
Community Water Center
Conservation Alabama
Conservation Colorado
Conservation Minnesota
Conservation Voters for Idaho
Conservation Voters of South Carolina
CURE (Clean Up the River Environment)
Earthjustice
Earthworks
Ecology Center
EcoWorks
Empower Michgian
Environment New Jersey
Environment America
Environment Michigan
Environment North Carolina
Environment Texas
Environmental & Public Health Consulting
Environmental Health Strategy Center
Environmental Working Group
FixHoCo
FLOW (For Love of Water)
Freshwater Future
Friends of the Earth US
Friends of the River
Friends of Violetville Park
GreenLatinos
Harpeth Conservancy
Healthy Gulf
Hip Hop Caucus
Illinois Council of Trout Unlimited
Illinois Environmental Council
Junction Coalition
League of Conservation Voters
Learning Disabilities Association of America
Maine Conservation Voters
Martin Luther King jr Freedom Center
Metropolitan Planning Council
MI Air MI Health
Mi Familia Vota
Michigan Environmental Council
Michigan League of Conservation Voters
Minnesota Center for Environmental Advocacy
Minnesota Well Owners Organization
Natural Resources Defense Council
National Wildlife Federation
North Carolina League of Conservation Voters
Nebraska Wildlife Federation
New Jersey Sustainable Business Council
New York League of Conservation Voters
New York Sustainable Business Council
Northern Michigan Environmental Action Council (NMEAC)
Ohio Environmental Council
Ohio Valley Environmental Coalition (OVEC)
PennEnvironment
Pennsylvania Council of Churches
Population Connection Action Fund
Puget Soundkeeper Alliance
Rachel Carson Council
River Network
PolicyLink
Safer Chemicals Healthy Families
Safer States
Self-Help Enterprises
SERCAP, INC
Sierra Club
South Platte River Waterkeeper
Southern Environmental Law Center
Straits Area Concerned Citizens for Peace, Justice & Environment
Tennessee Clean Water Network
The Alaska Center
Upper Peninsula Environmental Coalition
Virginia Conservation Network
Virginia League of Conservation Voters
Washington Environmental Council
Water Foundation
Wisconsin Conservation Voters
[i] https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/daily-life-coping/checklist-household-ready.html
[ii] https://www.infrastructurereportcard.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/Drinking-Water-Final.pdf, https://www.infrastructurereportcard.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/Wastewater-Final.pdf
[iii] https://www.epa.gov/dwsrf/epas-6th-drinking-water-infrastructure-needs-survey-and-assessment
[v] https://thevalueofwater.org/sites/default/files/Economic%20Impact%20of%20Investing%20in%20Water%20Infrastructure_VOW_FINAL_pages.pdf