The Clean Water Act invested billions of dollars in sewage treatment. That investment has paid off, but work remains to be done and funding for infrastructure and maintenance must be secured.
In addition to general infrastructure, three sewer issues are of particular concern: sanitary sewer overflows, combined sewer overflows, and sewage sludge.
*For more information visit:
American Oceans Campaign's stormwater resources.
American Society of Civil Engineers and EPA's Best Management Practice database.
Local Government Environmental Assistance Network.
Or contact: Nancy Stoner, NRDC, at 202-289-2394 or nstoner@nrdc.org.
The Clean Water SRF is America’s largest water quality financing source. Over the past 16 years this program has dispersed more than 14,200 loans--some $47 billion in all--to communities large and small to rehabilitate aging sewer plants, minimize raw sewage overflows and reduce stormwater runoff. This year’s federal budget proposal slashed state and local funding by almost $500 million--a 37 percent reduction from last year. Despite the program’s popularity and success, the House Appropriations Committee failed to restore Clean Water SRF funding when it passed the VA-HUD spending bill in July. To view the report follow the link above.
"Swimming in Sewage" presents seven case studies from around the country that illustrate how exposure to sewage pollution has killed or seriously injured people and harmed local economies. The report also recommends solutions to America's sewage problem.
The report serves as great tool to help educate both citizens and policy makers on the dangers associated with sewage pollution and what we can do about it.
The EPA has proposed a draft guidance that would eliminate current restrictions on the discharge of inadequately treated sewage into waterways during rain events. The comment period ends on January 9. NRDC has prepared a fact sheet on the guidance. Read a fact sheet on the draft guidance. Contact us at info@cleanwaternetwork.org to take action. (November 2003.)
