Expresses support for designating April 6-12, 2025, as "National Water Week" to highlight the importance of water utilities and infrastructure.
Gabe Evans
Representative
CO-8
This bill expresses support for designating April 6-12, 2025 as "National Water Week". It encourages Congress and the executive branch to support water utilities in protecting public health and the environment while fostering local economic growth. This includes addressing challenges related to aging infrastructure, rising costs, water quality, and ensuring climate resilience and security.
Resolution Backs National Water Week, Puts Spotlight on Aging Pipes and Rising Costs
This resolution officially throws support behind designating April 6 through April 12, 2025, as "National Water Week." More than just marking a calendar, its main goal is to nudge Congress and the executive branch to step up support for local water utilities. The focus is on helping these essential services protect public health and the environment, all while keeping local economies humming.
More Than Just Pipes: The Pressure Points
The resolution doesn't just wave a flag for water; it specifically calls out the major headaches facing the systems that deliver clean water to your tap and treat wastewater. Think aging infrastructure – the old pipes and treatment plants struggling to keep up. It also highlights the squeeze from rising operation and maintenance costs, ongoing supply chain disruptions making parts hard to get, and critical workforce shortages leaving utilities understaffed.
Beyond the physical and financial strains, the resolution points to water quality challenges. This includes dealing with emerging contaminants (like PFAS, sometimes called 'forever chemicals') and nutrient pollution, often alongside tightening regulations. Finally, it flags the need for better climate adaptation (handling droughts or floods), ensuring systems are resilient, and beefing up security measures.
Okay, But What Does It Actually Do?
It’s important to know this is a resolution, not a law that mandates specific actions or unlocks new funding streams immediately. Its power lies in expressing official support and highlighting priorities. By backing National Water Week, it aims to raise awareness and encourage federal players to focus on the very real challenges outlined – from the pipes under your street to the costs reflected in your water bill. While it doesn't dictate how Congress or the administration should help, it clearly signals that these water infrastructure, cost, quality, and resilience issues need attention to ensure safe water and support community growth.