Record number of AWWA delegates advocate for smart water policy at Fly-In

A record number of delegates — more than 200 – from the American Water Works Association (AWWA) gathered in Washington, D.C., from April 9-10 for the annual AWWA Water Matters Fly-In to ask U.S. Congress to invest in water infrastructure and support other critical priorities.

The event, hosted by AWWA’s Water Utility Council, plays an integral role in advancing the Association’s legislative agenda on Capitol Hill. It also elevates AWWA and its members as expert sources of information on water issues.

The meetings are a key component of AWWA’s legislative strategy, bringing local perspectives from constituents to their congressional representatives. Delegates discussed several AWWA priorities with their representatives, including:

• Infrastructure Funding: Fully fund the Drinking Water and Clean Water State Revolving Funds (SRFs) and the Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act; halt the practice of diverting funds from the SRFs to pay for congressional earmarks.

• Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) Liability Protection: Support the Water Systems PFAS Liability Act (H.R. 1267), bipartisan legislation to ensure PFAS manufacturers and polluters are responsible for cleaning up environmental PFAS contamination, rather than local drinking water and wastewater systems.
• Cybersecurity: Support the Water Risk and Resilience Organization Establishment Act (H.R. 2594), legislation that ensures water professionals have a seat at the table during the development of minimum cybersecurity requirements for the water sector.
• Affordability: Establish a permanent Low-Income Household Water Affordability Program at the Department of Health and Human Services to assist low-income households in maintaining affordable access to water.

“It’s really powerful to see so many water professionals come together to advocate for critical water legislation and funding,” said Nate Norris, AWWA director of legislative affairs. “When elected leaders hear from their own constituents about why infrastructure funding is so important, or why polluters – not consumers – should pay for PFAS cleanup, or why a collaborative cybersecurity approach makes sense, or why affordability matters, it makes a big difference in the legislation that is introduced and passed.”

Feedback from the congressional visits provide the AWWA Government Affairs team with insight into how various congressional offices view water issues, creating opportunities for further meetings and follow-up.

In addition to the Capitol Hill meetings, AWWA delegates participated in the Water Week National Policy Forum on Tuesday afternoon. This event, presented by AWWA, the National Association of Clean Water Agencies, the Water Environment Federation, the Water Research Foundation, the WateReuse Association, and the Association of Metropolitan Water Agencies offered delegates the chance to hear directly from senior federal agency officials and Members of Congress. The forum also provided valuable networking with colleagues from across the water sector.