Dear Member of Congress:

As a business leader, I urge you to support increased funding for water infrastructure with increased set-asides for green stormwater infrastructure and funding for low-income communities. To ensure clean waterways and access to clean drinking water and to reduce the threat of flooding for businesses and our communities, we need the federal government to significantly increase investment in our nation’s water-related infrastructure. Increasing funding for these vital water infrastructure projects will not only provide America will reliable clean water and help with flooding, it will also stimulate the economy and create desperately needed jobs in the current pandemic-related recession.

Businesses across many sectors depend on clean water, and for many business – like breweries and suppliers for water-based recreation and tourism -- it is essential. Failing water infrastructure is a leading cause of worsening water quality; a problem Americans should never have to endure. Deteriorating, obsolete water infrastructure has also contributed to the increased prevalence and severity of river flooding in the U.S. over the last few decades, shuttering businesses and devastating their communities. We need Congress to fund the necessary investments in water infrastructure that would create millions of jobs and save U.S. businesses approximately $94 billion a year in retained sales over the next 10 years.

Congress should also support “green” stormwater infrastructure and other approaches that use nature-based solutions to reduce stormwater runoff and pollution. Nature-based solutions are often a more cost-efficient, effective, and resilient investment for reducing water pollution and flooding than conventional forms of “gray “water infrastructure. Learn more: https://on.nrdc.org/31fiodN.

Our long-deferred attention to this issue means that an estimated investment of $470 billion in drinking water infrastructure and $271 billion in storm and wastewater infrastructure is needed over the next 20 years to address our national deficit in water infrastructure spending and the increasing challenges that businesses and communities face from polluted waterways and flooding. Our nation cannot afford to defer this essential work any longer.

I urge you to support::
Increased funding for the Clean Water and Drinking Water State Revolving Funds with at least 20 percent of funding distributed to disadvantaged communities as additional subsidization (grants) rather than loans and at least 20 percent of CWSRF funding set-aside for investing in green infrastructure projects.

Increased funding for other clean water programs that can support green stormwater infrastructure like the Delaware River Restoration Program (DRRP). To maximize the efficient delivery and efficacy of the DRRP, Congress should allow the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to authorize waiving cost-share requirements for the DRRP where appropriate.

Sincerely,