President signs water infrastructure legislation advancing NGWA key policy priorities
President signs water infrastructure legislation advancing NGWA key policy priorities
President Donald J. Trump signed into law the America’s Water Infrastructure Act (AWIA) on October 23, a re-authorization of the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) combined with legislation building on the Safe Drinking Water Act.
Doing so provides support to several programs including flood control, water storage, and drinking water programs.
NGWA CEO Terry S. Morse, CIC, hailed the legislation’s passage, calling it “a validation of the collective efforts made by NGWA volunteers to promote the importance of investing in groundwater.”
AWIA was passed overwhelmingly by the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate in September. Typically, WRDA legislation has a narrow focus on navigation, dams, and levees, but after concerted efforts by NGWA and other organizations, the AWIA legislation includes a significant number of provisions affecting drinking water programs.
NGWA’s top priorities in AWIA:
- Drinking Water Infrastructure: Authorizes increased funding for the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund. DWSRF funds can be used for a range of purposes including supporting construction, upgrading, and maintenance of rural infrastructure such as wells and well systems.
- $1.174 billion FY2019
- $1.3 billion FY2020
- $1.95 billion FY2021
- Groundwater Recharge: Re-authorization of the Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (WIFA) program for two years at $50 million per year, which finances large projects like managed aquifer recharge projects. The legislation also removes the “pilot” designation of the program.
- PFAS: Requires water systems serving more than 3,300 people to monitor for unregulated contaminants.
- Resilience Planning: Provides funds to water systems to develop resilience plans to address extreme weather.
Passage of AWIA highlights the effectiveness of NGWA advocacy as several provisions NGWA advocated for during the NGWA Groundwater Fly-In in 2016, 2017, and 2018 were signed into law on October 23.
For more NGWA Government Affairs information, including details of the 2019 NGWA Groundwater Fly-In, visit: https://www.ngwa.org/get-involved/advocacy.
Blog Post related to Social Justice, Climate, Water Infrastructure and the Water Professional.
Just a few points:
For Professionals and Planners
- Please remember we must work with the processes on Planet Earth and not against them and we need to ADAPT!
- We must start being honest, the biggest problem or concern is not carbon dioxide or methane emissions, but inefficiency, building in the wrong areas (like floodplains, unstable ground, and land that is actively sinking.)
- We must consider water as a resource in all its forms. So instead of stormwater, wastewater, drinking water, we have to consider this as a resource to reuse, promote groundwater recharge, and stop water mining and over allocations.
- Education – Continuing Education Courses and PDH Credits
For Public and Citizen Scientist
- We must remember that water is not the only path for contamination migration and many times we are are the last line of defense and it is our home environment and the consumer products and lifestyle that plays a major role.
- We recommend, the following:
- Get in indoor air quality checked – mold, radon, lead dust.
- Get your drinking water tested and please clean the screen on your sink faucets.
- Conservation Helps
- Get a Neighboorhood Hazard Reports.
- Get the Facts and Do not Push the fear!
Sustainable Infrastructure & Resilience Webinar Series
NCSE, Arizona State University School of Sustainability, and the Security and Sustainability Forum are hosting a series of webinars in a lead up to the NCSE 2019 Annual Conference. The first webinar focused on Actionable Science Solutions for Local Resilience. Speakers shared successful practices at the local science-policy intersect and explored the role of universities in local resilience. Learn more and watch the webinar recording.
NGWA Seeks Comment on Draft of Water Well Construction Standard
| NGWA Seeks Comment on Draft of Water Well Construction Standard |
| it is important to comment – because it is likely that this will be the starting point for a Pennsylvania based standard. |
| Public comment on the substantive changes to the draft of the ANSI/NGWA-07-13 Water Well Construction Standard will be accepted through the close of business on August 25.Comments received will be considered in the final water well construction standard to be submitted for approval to ANSI (American National Standards Institute).
A “standard” is a formal technical document for generally accepted processes, procedures, and policies. NGWA is seeking establishment of standards to protect groundwater resources and public health, and to help ensure capable professionals by establishing a benchmark for water well construction. Part of the ANSI standard development process involves posting any substantive changes for public comment. The document up for revision only contains the changes that have been made since the last public review. Among the areas covered by the proposed standard are:
Among those encouraged to comment are stakeholders in the groundwater industry including contractors, regulators, scientists, engineers, suppliers, and manufacturers, as well as consumers such as private and public water well owners. Interested parties should download the drafted amendments, as well as the comment form located at www.NGWA.org, or contact NGWA Industry Practices Administrator/Certification Coordinator Jessica Rhoads for these documents; comments will only be accepted via the approved form and must be received by e-mail, fax, or postal mail on or before 5 p.m. ET August 25. For further information, contact Rhoads at jrhoads@ngwa.org or (800) 551-7379 (614-898-7791), ext. 511. |
Ground Water Awareness Week Slated for March 7-13
http://www.fb.org/index.php?fuseaction=newsroom.newsfocus&year=2010&file=nr0217b.html
Ground Water Awareness Week Slated for March 7-13
WASHINGTON, D.C, February 17, 2010 – The American Farm Bureau Federation is urging Farm Bureau members to schedule an annual water well checkup during National Ground Water Awareness Week, March 7-13.
Ground Water Awareness Week is sponsored annually by the National Ground Water Association. NGWA is urging every household well owner to check his or her well cap to make sure it is in good condition to protect the water supply from contamination.
“A damaged or unsecured well cap can allow the entry of bacteria or other contaminants into the well. It is one of the easiest things to check, and a well owner can do it,” said John Pitz, CPI, a member of NGWA’s national board of directors.
“While well owners can spot a damaged or unsecured well cap, they should always use a qualified water well systems contractor who knows applicable well construction codes,” Pitz said. “If the well cap is damaged or unsecured, the water well contractor may also need to test the water and disinfect the well.”
Having your well tested is the surest way to determine that the water is safe. Even if your well cap fits tightly on your well and your water tastes fine, the water well system should be given a checkup by a contractor every year, according to NGWA.
Farm Bureau supports National Ground Water Awareness Week because of the vital importance of ground water to farms and ranches for irrigation and because 96 percent of rural Americans depend on ground water for their water supply, according to AFBF President Bob Stallman.
“Irrigation accounts for the largest use of ground water in the United States. Some 58 billion gallons of ground water are used daily for agricultural irrigation from more than 374,082 wells,” Stallman said. “America’s farmers and ranchers take their roles as environmental stewards very seriously. We are committed to ensuring that America’s ground water supply is safe, clean and pure.”
To learn more about proper well location and construction, well maintenance, water testing and treatment, and groundwater protection, visit NGWA’s Web site, www.wellowner.org.
Contacts
Tracy Taylor Grondine
(202) 406-3642
tracyg@fb.org
John Hart
(202) 406-3659
johnh@fb.org