Federal Water Infrastructure Aid Up, But Below Needs, GAO Reports
Federal aid for wastewater and drinking water facilities has risen 33% in 10 years, to $4.5 billion in 2000, but even when state funding is added, the total falls short of the sums the Environmental Protection Agency and industry say are needed, according to a General Accounting Office report.
In a study dated Nov. 30 but released Jan. 3, GAO says nine federal agencies, paced by EPA, provided a total of $40.6 billion, primarily in grants, for water infrastructure between 1991 and 2000. States contributed an additional $25 billion over that period. But GAO notes that needs assessments done by EPA and industry show much more spending will be required to address infrastructure shortcomings.