Today, U.S. Representative Mike Conaway (R-TX) introduced an amendment to H.R. 700, the Healthy Community Water Supply Act of 2007, stating that his amendment will provide for additional consideration being given to rural communities in areas that are served by a public water system serving 10,000 or fewer individuals. Heath Shuler (D-NC) co-sponsored the amendment, and was accepted by the House of Representatives by a voice vote. H.R. 700 passed the House by a vote of 368 to 59.
"For the past decade, within rural communities throughout the country, home water bills have increased faster than the rate of inflation, and it seems likely that this trend will continue. There are constituents in the rural areas of District 11 who are currently paying upwards of 770% more for water service than that of urban populations due to regulatory items and the inability to spread out costs over a wide basis. As new regulations are implemented and aging infrastructure is replaced, the affordability of water service in rural America will continue to be of great concern. Water systems, consumers, administrators, and policy makers need to focus on the ability of rural households to pay for public water service. This amendment is not a solution to the underlying problem; but it is the recognition of the issue and a step in the right direction.”
H.R. 700 H.R. 700 amends the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (the Clean Water Act) by granting a one-time reauthorization of $125 million for alternative water source projects. Alternative water source projects enhance water supplies by reusing or treating wastewater.
