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Tomorrow, on World Water Day, Congressman Paul Tonko (NY-20) will participate in a panel during the White House Water Summit to raise awareness of the national importance of water infrastructure solutions and present legislation he recently introduced, known as the AQUA Act. Tonko will present on a panel moderated by EPA Acting Deputy Administrator Stan Meiburg, entitled Innovative Finance and Water Infrastructure Solutions. He will be joined by other thought leaders in water infrastructure, including his colleague Congressman Jerry McNerney (CA-9).

The event will be streamed live at https://www.whitehouse.gov/live. The panel on which Tonko is scheduled to speak begins at 10:40 a.m.

“The Flint water crisis brought attention to our nation’s aging water infrastructure and what can happen when we try to cut corners in state budgets, but the discussion cannot end in Michigan. Cash-strapped local governments struggle each year to find sufficient funds for repair and replacement of essential water infrastructure. Between the steady decline in federal funding and the growing need for more support from Washington, greater burden has fallen upon local governments at a time when they simply cannot shoulder it. From simple water main breaks that bring everyday life to a screeching halt to larger disasters that harm a generation of lives, it’s well past time to get real about the funding levels that are needed to bring our water infrastructure into the 21^st century,” said Tonko.

Safe, sufficient, and reliable water resources are essential to the functioning of every aspect and sector of U.S. society, including agricultural and energy production, industry and economic growth, human and environmental health, and national security. As climate change affects our nation’s water supplies, and our population continues to grow and shift, it will become increasingly important to build a sustainable water future. To reduce and mitigate the incidence and impact of water stresses on U.S. communities, it is essential to develop, implement, and deploy the type of sustainable, integrated, and long-term water-management strategies that will be highlighted during the Water Summit.

WHAT:          Congressman Paul Tonko (NY-20) presents and discusses legislation he introduced to rebuild and repair our national water infrastructure – the AQUA Act (H.R. 4653) – at the White House Water Summit.

WHEN:          World Water Day, Tuesday, March 22^nd

                        Event begins at 9:00 a.m.

                        Tonko panel begins at 10:40 a.m.

WHERE:       Eisenhower Executive Office Building

                        Washington, D.C.

 

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