Water Online the Magazine gives Water & Wastewater Engineers and end-users a venue to find project solutions and source valuable product information. We aim to educate the engineering and operations community on important issues and trends.
Issue link: http://wateronline.epubxp.com/i/129556
Analysis "Major metropolitan water infrastructure projects tend to miss out on State Revolving Fund (SRF) assistance because there is simply not enough money to go around." of dollars out to individual communities to fund more than 100,000 people had historically collected eligible projects, and these communities repay the just 24% of DWSRF assistance, while serving 46% of principal and below-market interest to the state. This the U.S. population.7 Of course, helping small communities come into is an effective system that has financed billions of and maintain compliance with drinking water public dollars worth of water infrastructure projects over the health standards is and must remain an important past few decades, but the program's reach is limited federal policy objective. But focusing on these needs because the SRF was not intended to address the full scale of infrastructure needs facing the water sector alone does not begin to address the full scope of the water infrastructure investment required by America's today. cities and towns. The reason is two-fold: First, federal law prescribes Second, major metropolitan water infrastructure strict guidelines that require states to place certain projects also tend to miss out on SRF assistance types of projects at the front of the line for SRF because there is simply not enough money to go assistance. The Drinking Water SRF (DWSRF), for around. With every state guaranteed at least 1% of each example, directs states to prioritize projects that year's SRF appropriation, the pot of available money is address serious public health concerns, facilitate divided up very quickly. And once a state has received compliance with federal drinking water standards, or its share of funding for the year, it is not uncommon assist water systems with the greatest infrastructure needs on a per-household basis. These objectives are in line with the Safe Drinking COCONUT SHELL & COAL BASE ACTIVATED CARBON Water Act's primary goal of protecting public health, so FROM it is natural that communities facing these particular water quality and public health Activated Carbon & Related Services challenges are the focus of the program. World's Finest Quality - Ready to Ship NOW! A side effect of this focus on maintaining public health — rather than more broadly maintaining infrastructure — is that the SRF offers large communities fewer opportunities to receive lowcost financing. Nationwide, 96% of health-based drinking water quality violations occur A leading Activated Carbon and Related Services Company supplying in water systems that serve high-quality Activated Carbon and other flter media. NFS-61 & ISO 5 fewer than 10,000 people, 9001:2008 certifed and meets AWWA standards. Specilized in municipal so these small drinking water potable water and wastewater treatment plants, odor control, etc. systems are positioned to end We provide liquid and vapor flter systems and installations, up with a disproportionate performance-guarantees and superior lead time; we have advanced share of DWSRF funding. The material handling equipment for change-outs and onsite quality actual numbers bear this out: through 2010, small systems control laboratery. had received 38% of all-time www.ActivatedCarbon.com DWSRF assistance, 6 while Corporate Ofce (California) collectively serving 19% of the 877-323-8132, 310-885-4555, info@ActivatedCarbon.com U.S. population. Meanwhile, Branch (New York): 716-677-6661, nyinfo@ActivatedCarbon.com drinking water utilities serving CARBON ACTIVATED CORP. CARBON ACTIVATED CORP. wateronline.com ■ Water Online The Magazine 31