House Appropriations Chairman David Obey (D-WI) has released an executive summary of the spending portion of the House Democrats' stimulus legislation, which his panel hopes to mark up next week.
      "We are very pleased that so may worthy water projects will now be funded.  This will result in over a hundred thousand jobs and many deserving families in Rural America having better water and a cleaner environment.  We are amazed that Congress funded the entire backlog of RUS Water and Waste Disposal projects.  Thank You!" says NRWA's Rob Johnson
      The Water infrastructure projects include:
      Rural Water and Waste Disposal: $1.5 billion to support $3.8 billion in grants and loans to help communities fund drinking water and wastewater treatment systems. In 2008, there were $2.4 billion in requests for water and waste loans and $990 million for water and waste grants went unfunded.
      Clean Water State Revolving Fund: $6 billion for loans to help communities upgrade wastewater treatment systems. EPA estimates a 388 billion funding gap. The Association of State and Interstate Water Pollution Control Administrators found that 26 states have $10 billion in approved water projects.
     Drinking Water State Revolving Fund: $2 billion for loans for drinking water infrastructure. EPA estimates there is a $274 billion funding gap. The National Governors Association reported that there are $6 billion in ready-to-go projects, which could quickly be obligated.
     Bureau of Reclamation: $500 million to provide clean, reliable drinking water to rural areas and to ensure adequate water supply to western localities impacted by drought. The Bureau has backlogs of more than $1 billion in rural water projects and water reuse and decycling projects.
     Watershed Infrastructure: $400 million for the Natural Resources Conservation Service watershed improvement programs to design and build flood protection and water quality projects, repair aging dams, and purchase and restore conservation easements in river flood zones.

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