Federal Water Infrastructure Spending Needed
In Wisconsin could be used to replace lead service lines and improve sewerage systems.
Wisconsinites proved our resilience in 2020. The pandemic put stress on our community, but we continued to persevere. Now, as we are starting to return to a brighter horizon, it’s time to take stock of what our priorities should be in a post-pandemic world. Clean water needs to be high on the list.
However, getting to clean water will require fixing our infrastructure. We still have billions of gallons of sewage overflows and runoff pollution contaminating where we swim. In 2019, authorities tested 61 Wisconsin beaches and found that they had potentially unsafe levels of fecal bacteria at least one day during the year. South Shore Beach in Milwaukee was potentially unsafe on 19 days, which was more than any other beach in the state.
Lead in our drinking water is an equally persistent problem. We still have an estimated 240,000 lead service lines across Wisconsin, including an estimated 70,000 in the city of Milwaukee alone. Nationwide, there are an estimated 9 million toxic pipes, but we need to do more work to identify the actual number. These toxic pipes are contaminating our water with a potent neurotoxin that damages our children’s health. They’ve got to go.
To build a better future, we need an ambitious and bold infrastructure package. President Biden and Chairman DeFazio have put out good roadmaps. If we want our lakes and beaches to be safe for swimming, then Congress should, as a start, fully fund the Sewer Overflow and Stormwater Reuse Municipal Grants program and ramp up the Clean Water State Revolving Fund to $8 billion this year. And if we want lead-free water for our children, then we’ll need to provide the $45 billion proposed in President Biden’s American Jobs Plan to replace all the lead pipes across the country.
Finally, we need to make sure this funding is accessible to all communities, no matter their income or size. This can be done by setting aside water infrastructure funding for grants rather than loans, which would allow communities to access federal funds without fear of having to take out loans that they cannot afford to pay back.
We have a once in a generation opportunity to secure clean water for America. Let’s do it.
Congresswoman Gwen Moore has represented the 4th District in Congress since 2005. Megan Severson is the State Director of Wisconsin Environment.
More about the Lead Crisis
- IRS Rules that Homeowners Won’t Have to Pay Additional Taxes for Subsidized Replacement of Lead Pipes - Milwaukee Water Works - Feb 29th, 2024
- Milwaukee Makes It Far Easier To Replace Your Lead Service Line - Jeramey Jannene - Dec 18th, 2023
- Congresswoman Gwen Moore Praises Biden Administration Effort to Remove Lead Pipes in 10 Years - U.S. Rep. Gwen Moore - Nov 30th, 2023
- Biden-Harris Administration Announces Partnership with 10 Wisconsin Communities to Accelerate Lead Service Line Replacement as Part of Investing in America Agenda - U.S. Environmental Protection Agency - Nov 2nd, 2023
- Evers, DNR Announce $402 Million Funding to Improve Local Drinking Water - Henry Redman - Oct 24th, 2023
- How EPA’s Proposed Lead Dust Rules Would Impact Wisconsin - Farrah Anderson - Aug 30th, 2023
- City Regulators Can Require Fixing of Lead Hazards — If They Can Find Landlords - Farrah Anderson - Aug 29th, 2023
- MPS Hopeful New Filters Will Keep Water Safe - Evan Casey - Aug 29th, 2023
- City Seeks Firm To Manage Its Accelerating Lead Pipe Replacements - Jeramey Jannene - Aug 9th, 2023
- City Hall: City Unveils Latest Lead Lateral Plan - Jeramey Jannene - May 24th, 2023
Read more about Lead Crisis here
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