NEWS NOTES ON SUSTAINABLE WATER RESOURCES  Possible funding for water facilities in 2017  https://www.amwa.net/article/planned-legisla...

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NEWS NOTES ON SUSTAINABLE WATER RESOURCES  Possible funding for water facilities in 2017  https://www.amwa.net/article/planned-legislation-would-authorize-billions-dwsrf-0 ; The Association of Metropolitan Water Agencies (AMWA) reports on planned legislation for the drinking water state revolving fund.  EPA would be authorized to spend up to $8 billion over five years on the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF) under draft legislation that is being developed by Republican members of the House Environment Subcommittee.  Labeled the Drinking Water System Improvement Act, an earlier draft of the legislation was the subject of a hearing of the House Environment Subcommittee last month.  While an updated draft of the bill has not been made publically available, congressional staff recently briefed AMWA and other water sector stakeholders on major provisions of the bill’s most recent version.  The bill would authorize $8 billion for the DWSRF over five years.   Environment Subcommittee Republicans hope to attach the bill to a larger infrastructure bill that Congress may attempt to pass this year.  The draft bill has not won the backing of the subcommittee’s Democratic minority, who favor broader DWSRF legislation that would include reforms to the Safe Drinking Water Act’s contaminant regulatory process and new regulations aimed at increasing the security of water treatment facilities.  While Republicans could likely pass their bill through committee without any Democratic votes, a strictly partisan DWSRF bill could have a more difficult time latching onto a broader infrastructure package.  This information will also be linked on the 2017 Actions and Activities Page of the Sustainable Water Resources Site at https://sites.google.com/site/sustainablewaterresources/ ">https://sites.google.com/site/sustainablewaterresources/ ; Tim SmithSustainable Water Resources CoordinatorGovernment Web Site, https://acwi.gov/Sustainable Water Resources Site, https://sites.google.com/site/sustainablewaterresources/ ">https://sites.google.com/site/sustainablewaterresources/ ;