Resolution on Water Infrastructure Funding (2009)

As adopted by the members, January 24, 2009

Whereas, water is a necessity of life and the cities and towns of Massachusetts have the responsibility for providing safe, clean, affordable water;

Whereas, maintaining the highest water quality standards is important to the protection of public health and the quality of life of Massachusetts residents and businesses;

Whereas, efficient and well-constructed and maintained water infrastructure is critical to public safety and an integral part of a healthy and growing local economy;

Whereas, the federal and state unfunded mandates imposed have created a significant funding gap between the water infrastructure needs of the Commonwealth and the existing available sources of funding;

Whereas, the cities and towns of Massachusetts depend on receiving an adequate amount of state and federal funds in order to meet the drinking, wastewater and storm water needs of their community; and

Whereas, the costs of construction of water infrastructure have increasingly been shifted from the state and federal government to the cities and towns of Massachusetts;

Therefore it is hereby resolved by the members of the Massachusetts Municipal Association that:

• The state must establish a Special Water Infrastructure Finance Commission to develop a comprehensive, long-range plan for the Commonwealth and its municipalities;

• The administration must implement the $25 million Drinking Water Quality Act Authorization as passed in the 2009 Environmental Bond Act;

• The United States Congress must enter into a new partnership with the state and municipalities by increasing funding for the Clean Water State Revolving Fund to a minimum of $850 million in the Fiscal Year 2010 Interior Appropriations Bill; and

• A copy of this resolution shall be forwarded to the State Senate, the House of Representatives, the Governor of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and the Massachusetts Congressional Delegation.