In communities in Maryland and across the country, drinking water and sewerage systems are straining under the weight of decades of federal government underinvestment. In recent years, the State Revolving Funds were financed at some of the lowest levels in history. For fiscal year 2008, Maryland received only $28 million, a mere 0.7 percent of the $3.8 billion that the state’s water and sewer systems need.
In communities in Maryland and across the country, drinking water and sewerage systems are straining under the weight of decades of federal government underinvestment. In recent years, the State Revolving Funds were financed at some of the lowest levels in history. For fiscal year 2008, Maryland received only $28 million, a mere 0.7 percent of the $3.8 billion that the state’s water and sewer systems need.
Original Title
Why Maryland Needs Federal Funding for Water Infrastructure
In communities in Maryland and across the country, drinking water and sewerage systems are straining under the weight of decades of federal government underinvestment. In recent years, the State Revolving Funds were financed at some of the lowest levels in history. For fiscal year 2008, Maryland received only $28 million, a mere 0.7 percent of the $3.8 billion that the state’s water and sewer systems need.
In communities in Maryland and across the country, drinking water and sewerage systems are straining under the weight of decades of federal government underinvestment. In recent years, the State Revolving Funds were financed at some of the lowest levels in history. For fiscal year 2008, Maryland received only $28 million, a mere 0.7 percent of the $3.8 billion that the state’s water and sewer systems need.
Funding for Water Infrastructure Fact Sheet • April 2009
O ur nation’s water infrastructure and economy are bound together. Aiding
the former will help the latter. Unfortunately, these days, both are treading troubled waters.
In communities in Maryland and across the country,
drinking water and sewerage systems are straining under the weight of decades of federal government underinvest- ment. In recent years, the State Revolving Funds were financed at some of the lowest levels in history. For fiscal year 2008, Maryland received only $28 million, a mere 0.7 percent of the $3.8 billion that the state’s water and sewer systems need.1
As the troubles with our water infrastructure mount, the
country’s economy slides deeper into recession. Mary- land’s January 2009 unemployment rate reached 6.2 percent, or about 185,000 people, up from 3.6 percent a year earlier. One in 16 people in the labor force are now unemployed.2
Investing now in water and sewer systems to generate
solid economic growth can lead the state out of the reces- sion. Every federal dollar invested in infrastructure yields a $1.59 return to our states.3 The National Util- ity Contractors Association estimates that for every $1 billion spent on water infrastructure, nearly 27,000 jobs are created.4
The economic stimulus legislation passed by Congress in
February 2009 provides more money to water infrastruc- ture than the country has seen in recent years, but this one-time allotment cannot cure the problems plaguing contains 220 projects at a total cost of $616 million.5 In many communities. In fact, the bill provides water and 2008, the state received only $11.2 million in federal sewer systems with less than one-third of what the Envi- funding6 — enough to finance 1/55th of its needs. ronmental Protection Agency estimates we should spend each year just to maintain them. Federal contributions to Maryland’s drinking water funding efforts have decreased by 36.5 percent since the Maryland’s Water Infrastructure Funding Gap: Drinking Water SRF was implemented in fiscal 1997 and Maryland’s water needs outpace its current ability to fund 52.7 percent when adjusted for inflation.7 projects by a large margin. For the Clean Water State Revolving Fund program, For the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (SRF) which goes toward wastewater infrastructure, the state’s program, the state’s most recent Project Priority List most recent Project Priority List contains 484 projects at a total cost of $3.2 billion.8 In 2008, the state received $16.5 million in federal funding9 — enough to finance 1/193rd of its needs.
Federal contributions to Maryland’s wastewater funding
efforts have decreased by 66.8 percent since the Clean Water SRF was fully implemented in fiscal 1991 and 79.0 percent when adjusted for inflation.10
Job Creation: Fully addressing Maryland’s currently
listed water needs of $3.8 billion would spur 101,044 employment opportunities, according to National Utility Contractors Association estimates for job creation from water infrastructure investments. That could put back to work more than one-half of the unemployed people in the state.
Water Quality: According to EPA’s 2002 National Endnotes: