Funding for U.S. water infrastructure—specifically for wastewater-treatment facilities—is gaining more attention in the House as advocates push for increased federal investment.

房屋运输和基础设施委员会Chairman Peter DeFazio (D-Ore.), backs major facility funding, noting at a Feb 23 hearing, “I’m going to push for a very ambitious number and then we’re going to find ways to pay for it.”

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Rep. Grace Napolitano (D-Calif.), who chairs the committee's water resources and environment subcommittee, said at the hearing that she plans to introduce legislation soon to reauthorize the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Clean Water State Revolving Fund (SRF) program, the main federal funding resource for wastewater treatment projects.

“Our nation’s network of water infrastructure [is] aging, often outdated and in many places not meeting the needs of our communities or water quality standards,” she said.

Lawmakers and witnesses at the hearing sketched out dimensions of the problem. They cited an EPA report that estimated wastewater treatment/clean water needs at $271 billion over 20 years, although David Mallino, Laborers' International Union of North America legislative and political director,notedthat the estimate is nearly a decade old and the need probably has increased since then.

DeFazio did not specify how much money he will seek, buta water infrastructure billthat the committee cleared last September included a $20-billion, five year authorization for clean qater SRFs although it went no further in the 116th Congress.

另一个可能的信号是授权SRFS的400亿美元the Moving Forward Act, which the Democrat-controlled House passed last July. The Senate, then controlled by Republicans, failed to act on the legislation.

One possible revenue raiser, DeFazio suggested, is a financial transaction tax that he says could raise $77 billion per year.

但是，无论授权将有多大，如果颁布重新授权，资金都将受到拨款委员会的行动，正如那不勒斯诺指出的那样，2021年清洁水SRF的拨款仅为16亿美元。

Lima, Ohio, Mayor Dave Berger,testifyingfor the U.S. Conference of Mayors, said federal clean water SRF funding has been basically flat for decades. As a result, cities and localities have had to shoulder the bulk of overall water infrastructure funding.

布法罗下水道管理局总经理兼布法罗水务局主席Oluwole McFoy，told the panelthat the federal government’s estimated share of total U.S. water infrastructure funding is less than 5%.

”Local governments are stuck on an unsustainable financial treadmill,” Berger said, adding that “decisions made by the federal government to eliminate or reduce financial assistance without restricting costly [regulatory] mandates have placed a severe financial burden on us.”

麦克弗伊（McFoy）作证说，全国清洁水机构协会表示，随着水基础设施恶化，纳税人无法负担维护，维修和需要更换水基础设施。

He told the subcommittee, “The key to ending this cycle and restoring a sense of equity to our water utility system is having a re-engaged federal partner that is willing to help fund water infrastructure work that will allow cities to modernize their systems.”

顶级小组委员会共和党人戴夫·鲁泽（Dave Rouzer）（北卡罗莱纳州）同意废水需求“是巨大的，它们会继续增长”。但是他采取了另一种方法，说立法者应该问：“哪个资金水平既适当又现实？我们将如何为此付出代价？”

鲁瑟（Rouser）呼吁采用“全力以赴的方法”，其中包括联邦，州和地方投资，但也寻求与私营部门合作的新收入来源和方式。

He also favors reviewing current regulations to see whether some could be changed or eliminated.