The unprecedented $50 billion investment planned for water systems nationwide will help pay for a much-needed overhaul of water plants and distribution lines, especially in rural communities and in economically distressed urban corridors.
But during a recent webinar hosted by Bridge Magazine and Circle of Blue, three speakers familiar with Michigan tap water issues said it’s important to realize the money from that infrastructure bill is only a down payment.
They also agreed it’s time to move away from the traditional method of simply raising water rates to pay for improvements to drinking water systems and sewage-treatment plants.
Bonnifer Ballard, executive director of Michigan’s American Water Works Association section, likened the situation to first-time home acquisition. The Washington-based group represents the nation’s water-treatment plant operators.
Like many first-time home buyers, communities across America didn’t adequately set aside enough money for future upgrades once they got their water systems built, Ms. Ballard said.
“Here we are, decades later, not having done the right planning or maintenance,” she said. “The reality is we’ve had artificially low water rates for a long time.”
Tim Neumann, Michigan Rural Water Association executive director, said many of the smaller communities his group represents find it more difficult to pay for upgrades because they are unable to finance work by selling bonds.
There also becomes almost a disincentive to conserve water given the current funding mechanism. Less water usage translates to fewer dollars generated by ratepayers, Mr. Neumann said.
“We’re not going to be able to do it just through rates,” he said. “We’re going to need the government’s help and outside resources.”
The coronavirus pandemic has shown the need is great, not only for the sake of equity within disadvantaged communities but also for public health at large, said Ninah Sasy, Michigan Department of Health and Human Services policy and planning director.
Higher water costs can be a deterrent to better hygiene, she said.
Water affordability goes hand-in-hand with housing affordability, Ms. Sasy said.
“We know there are so many factors that influence health outcomes,” she said. “There isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution. We can’t fix one thing in a silo. All of these things are interconnected.”
People with access to plenty of safe, affordable water often take it for granted, Ms. Sasy said.
The situation is far different, though, in cities such as Flint and Benton Harbor, which have struggled with extreme contamination and skyrocketing costs in recent years.
“Until you experience these issues, you may take it for granted,” Ms. Sasy said. “There are a lot of people who appreciate [good] water, but there are barriers to it. It’s not just about getting water, it’s about getting quality water.”
The $50 billion investment planned for U.S. water systems is a result of congressional passage of an infrastructure bill in November. The bill, one of the few things which has received bipartisan support from Congress in recent years, is one of several ways officials in Michigan and Ohio are trying to improve water quality in their respective states.
In Ohio, the state’s Environmental Protection Agency director, Laurie Stevenson, has used much of the funding her agency has received from Gov. Mike DeWine’s H2Ohio program to replace lead lines and improve water systems statewide, especially in rural and distressed communities.
U.S. EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan told Mr. DeWine in a four-page letter after the federal infrastructure bill was signed into law on Nov. 15 that he hopes the states will “maximize the impact” of unprecedented money the federal government has made available for drinking water and sewage-treatment systems.
“We are honored and humbled by the opportunity to work with you to reshape America’s water future,” Mr. Regan wrote.
In March, Toledo Mayor Wade Kapszukiewicz rolled out a $10 million plan to replace lead lines throughout the city.
Under that initiative, every customer-owned lead service line citywide is to be replaced at no cost to property owners.
That project, the largest undertaken by the Kapszukiewicz Administration, is being funded in large part by the American Rescue Plan Act, a U.S. EPA environmental justice grant, Community Development Block Grant funds, and an Ohio EPA water replacement program.
First Published May 15, 2022, 2:39 p.m.
