A recent report from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on clean water infrastructure needs, coupled with cuts to clean and safe water portions of EPA's FY 2008 budget, presents serious consequences to the ongoing wastewater infrastructure needs of at least 20 states.
The EPA's report, entitled "The Clean Watersheds Needs Survey (CWNS)" estimates that $202.5 billion is needed to maintain the publicly owned wastewater treatment systems nationwide in order to control wastewater pollution for the next 20 years. The needs reported in the survey show over an 8.5 percent increase from the 2000 report. The figures themselves represent pollution control needs that will be necessary to meet the environmental and human health objectives of the Clean Water Act.
At the same time, however, federal funding of such infrastructure programs may be reduced. Though there has been broad Congressional support for increased water infrastructure needs under the current bill to fund EPA, the Clean Water State Revolving Loan Fund (SRF) is scheduled to receive $689 million in the 2008 fiscal year, which is $395 million below fiscal 2000 levels. Ironically, both the House and Senate separately considered bills in 2007 that would have increased the SRF funding levels for the 2008 fiscal year, but neither proposal was successful.
The CWNS breaks out the needs of each state, including categories for types of needs. Some 20 states account for more than 80 percent of the needs in the survey. As expected, New York and California have the greatest needs, however, seven southeastern states are among the top 20 states in need of funding. The large expenditures that these states require will go to advanced wastewater treatment facilities, infiltration/inflow correction, sewer replacement as well as new interceptor and collector sewers. These are all high dollar items and, given the aging infrastructure across the country, need to be replaced soon. Many waste water systems have been in place for more than 50 years and, while they have performed, they need major repair and upgrading to continue to function properly.
The reality is that many public and private wastewater companies are going to have to seek alternative means of financing if they are to keep pace with ongoing infrastructure needs. The SRF is not going to provide enough money for the foreseeable future. Though some of the budget cuts may encourage lawmakers to increase the EPA's fiscal year 2009 budget, even successful efforts will be of little help before 2010.
Since the shortage of funds may continue on a yearly basis past 2010, future dependence on government funding is risky.
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