WASHINGTON — The terrorist attacks on 11 September have wreaked havoc on people's lives and a nation's psyche, but there are also hard-line budgetary issues that will impact business in the United States, including water and wastewater treatment.
The US Congress and President Bush are committed to putting billions of dollars into the announced "war on terrorism," as well as assisting the airline industry and contributing to relief efforts in the communities struck by the attacks.
That has left leaders in the water and wastewater treatment industries uncertain about whether there will be funds put into the effort to rebuild and repair the aging water and sewer infrastructure in cities across the nation. Prior to the tragedies, there had been a major push to get the government to assist in the rebuilding of systems, viewed by many as a nationwide problem.
The House and Senate passed separate bills that would commit about $2.2 billion to water and wastewater projects in the next fiscal year. But as that bill gets fine-tuned, there is uncertainty about it.
Kent Kirk, executive director of the Association of Metropolitan Sewerage Agencies, said the government has serious issues before it, but "there's always going to be a need for clean water and efficient and effective water and wastewater services," so he feels the government will continue to put money into that arena.
He said as the appropriation bill is finalized, "I'm not picking up that it will be jeopardized in any way" by recent events.
The versions of the bill in the House and Senate have slightly different funding amounts, but they provide about $1.3 million in a state revolving loan fund for water and sewer projects, about $800-$850 million for drinking water projects, and about $200,000 to $300,000 for special projects not yet identified.
Michael B. Cook, director of the US Environmental Protection Agency's Office of Wastewater Management, said the bills give authorization to appropriate money, but "it's not at all unusual that a lot less money is appropriated than was authorized."
He said he felt the spending for the next fiscal year will probably not be eliminated, but for future years it is "very much up in the air. It's very hard for anyone to predict what will happen."
Dawn Kristof, president of the Water and Wastewater Equipment Manufacturers Association, said she is "very leery at this point" about funding because of the government's re-shifting of priorities in the wake of tragic world events. She is concerned funds will be directed away from water and sewer projects.
She said just holding on to the current levels of funding in the state revolving loan funds for water and sewer "will be an achievement," and that it is naïve to think extra money is forthcoming. "We're keeping our fingers crossed that we can maintain current levels."
Vanessa Leiby, executive director of the Association of State Drinking Water Administrators, said world events will at least "hurt the time frame" groups might have been hoping for federal funds. "My sense would be that this has thrown a monkey wrench into everything. It doesn't look as positive as it once did."
Cook said the federal contributions to such projects are a small percentage, with states, municipalities and the private sector always having the largest burden. Kirk agreed a partnership of federal, state and local governments and the private sector is needed to address the infrastructure issue.
That partnership breakdown is also the subject of ongoing debate in the industry.
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