Senator Markey, Congresswoman Schakowsky Introduce Laws to Assist Defend Clear Water and Wastewater Utilities
Textual content of Invoice (PDF)
Washington (March 6, 2023) – Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) and Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky (IL-09) at the moment launched the Water System Menace Preparedness and Resilience Act, laws that would supply funding for clear water and wastewater utilities to change into members of the Water Data Sharing and Evaluation Middle (WaterISAC). The WaterISAC is a crucial supply of data and greatest practices for water programs to guard in opposition to, mitigate, and reply to threats. As we speak, whereas roughly 50 p.c of bigger water utilities have joined WaterISAC, lower than one-tenth of 1 p.c of smaller utilities are WaterISAC members. The Water System Menace Preparedness and Resilience Act would assist right this shortcoming by directing the Environmental Safety Company to create a brand new grant program that may assist cowl the dues in WaterISAC.
“The water that we use to drink, take a bathe, wash our dishes, and prepare dinner our meals is crucial to life for communities throughout our nation,” stated Senator Markey. “But, from excessive climate to terrorism to cyberattacks, our water programs face more and more difficult threats. My Water System Menace Preparedness and Resilience Act will assist safe our water programs in opposition to these threats by increasing entry to the Water Data Sharing and Evaluation Middle, a crucial instrument to assist water utilities of all sizes share info, greatest practices, and response methods. I thank Congresswoman Schakowsky for her partnership on this proposal.”
“Because the frequency and depth of maximum climate occasions improve and cyber safety threats in opposition to our infrastructure emerge, we should work collectively to guard our nation’s water programs,” stated Congresswoman Schakowsky. “I’m proud to hitch Senator Ed Markey in introducing the Water System Menace Preparedness and Resilience Act. This invoice will assist help native water programs in having access to the Water Data Sharing and Evaluation Middle (WaterISAC), a non-profit clearinghouse for info concerning threats to water security. This sort of info sharing is crucial to making sure the well being and security of communities’ ingesting water throughout the nation.”
A replica of the invoice textual content could be discovered HERE:
The Water System Menace Preparedness and Resilience Act is endorsed by American Water Works Affiliation, Affiliation of Metropolitan Water Businesses, Nationwide Affiliation of Clear Water Businesses, Nationwide Affiliation of Water Firms, and Water Setting Federation.
“WaterISAC has been a useful instrument in serving to public wastewater and ingesting water utilities higher put together and mitigate in opposition to the dangers posed by rising pure hazards, in addition to bodily and cyber safety threats,” stated Adam Krantz, CEO of the Nationwide Affiliation of Clear Water Businesses. “The Water System Menace Preparedness and Resilience Act will assist guarantee extra widespread participation amongst utilities of all sizes within the WaterISAC and improve the crucial instruments and sources it offers.”
“Whether or not it’s excessive climate occasions, bodily safety dangers, or cyber threats, the nation’s ingesting water and wastewater utilities face a frightening atmosphere,” stated Tom Dobbins, CEO of the Affiliation of Metropolitan Water Businesses. “WaterISAC is a useful resource that retains water utility professionals knowledgeable concerning the newest threats and really useful response actions, and the Water System Menace Preparedness and Resilience Act will allow much more utilities to make the most of this crucial service.”
“Whereas WaterISAC member utilities at present serve about 60 p.c of the U.S. inhabitants, solely about 400 of the nation’s practically 50,000 group water programs and 16,000 wastewater programs are paying WaterISAC members that take pleasure in full entry to all the nonprofit’s risk and vulnerability alerts, material experience, and different info,” stated John P. Sullivan, Chief Engineer of the Boston Water and Sewer Fee and Chairman of the WaterISAC Board of Managers. “Elevated federal efforts to help WaterISAC participation and to extend consciousness of the middle would assist get risk info and greatest practices into extra fingers throughout the nation.”
Final December, Senator Markey secured federal investments in Massachusetts water sources and infrastructure initiatives in order that residents can entry secure, dependable, and clear ingesting water. Final November, Senator Markey known as on Holtec to publicly observe the Environmental Defend Company’s rules on not illegally disgorging effluent water from Pilgrim Nuclear Energy Station into Cape Cod Bay with out prior authorization by modifying its Nationwide Pollutant Discharge Elimination System. Final October, Senator Markey helped safe practically $2.5 million in federal funding from the Nationwide Science Basis (NSF) Protected and Clear Communities Grant Program for the UMass Lowell’s clear ingesting water undertaking.
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