Last week, Congressman Mike Conaway (TX-11) introduced the “Small Community Options for Regulatory Equity Act of 2007”. This legislation would amend the Safe Drinking Water Act to allow rural water systems (defined as serving 10,000 or fewer persons) to be exempt from costly national drinking water regulations, which are proven to have no impact on public heath and safety.
“Rural communities are harmed by water standards that allegedly promote health at the expense of economic well being,” said Conaway. “This legislation provides for economic viability of small rural water systems and the areas and communities they serve.”
Currently, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) exempts water systems which service fewer than 25 users. This legislation extends the opportunity of exemption to water systems which service fewer than 10,000 users and as a result provide hope for the viability of small rural water systems and the area and communities they serve.
Conaway went on to say, “Within rural communities throughout the country, home water bills have increased faster than the rate of inflation. This trend is likely to continue. The current requirements reach far beyond what is reasonable and are literally bankrupting local governments. Although this legislation is not a complete solution to the underlying problem, it is a step in the right direction.”
