NUCA Praises New Federal ‘Water Subcabinet’

White HouseThe National Utility Contractors Association (NUCA) praised the Trump White House for its new executive order modernizing the federal management structure for America’s critical water infrastructure project.

“President Trump’s recognition that the many federal agencies responsible for America’s water infrastructure can do a more efficient job working in coordination with each other is a common-sense step forward for every American community,” said NUCA CEO Doug Carlson. “The new ‘Water Subcabinet’ established with this White House order will streamline the approach taken by seven different federal departments and agencies to better manage their stewardship of our national water supplies and water infrastructure.”

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“A reliable and clean water supply system is essential to every American community. Streamlining the federal government’s responsibility for water infrastructure will help our member’s companies complete the physical plant needed to provide Americans with a safe water supply,” concluded Carlson.

A fresh approach to supplying our nation with water is essential if we are to address an estimated $1 trillion in maintenance and service demands for water infrastructure over the next 25 years. The American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) recently gave America’s infrastructure a D+ grade, a result which should shock every American.

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ASCE’s study highlighted that a significant amount of the nation’s 1 million miles of water and wastewater pipe were laid underground in the early 20th century, with an expected lifespan of 75-100 years. And the aging of this complex system is showing, now with an estimated 240,000 water main breaks per year, wasting more than 2 trillion gallons of treated drinking water. It’s only going to get worse if it isn’t repaired, as every homeowner knows about their own repair projects.

NUCA and America’s $152 billion utility construction industry is ready to fix this infrastructure, but the industry’s contractors and suppliers cannot do it without the U.S. government’s vast resources. This industry is grateful for President Trump’s “Modernizing America’s Water Resource Management and Water Infrastructure” executive order, but delivering better efficiencies to the federal executive process on infrastructure is but one part of the solution.

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Congress has several infrastructure bills awaiting action, including H.R. 1497, the “Water Quality Protection and Job Creation Act.” NUCA reminds Congressional lawmakers in an election season that their failure so far to pass existing infrastructure resource bills are already delivering ominous consequences to thousands of local communities in every U.S. state.

A copy of the Oct. 13, 2020. White House executive order (EO 13956) can be found here: https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/executive-order-modernizing-americas-water-resource-management-water-infrastructure/

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