Ditchmen • NUCA of Florida Ditchmen • September 2016 | Page 20

U.S. SENATE PASSES DRINKING WATER INFRASTRUCTURE
BILL WITH IAPMO-ENDORSED WATERSENSE LANGUAGE

via ContractMag.org
The United States Senate
today passed sweeping
legislation addressing the
nation’s water infrastructure,
including authorization for
the U.S. EPA’s WaterSense®
program, for which IAPMO
has been an important
advocate.
The Water Resources
Development Act of 2016 (S.
2848) is a comprehensive bill
addressing diverse concerns,
including lead contamination,
sewer overflow control,
water system security,
drinking water conservation,
and improving ports and
waterways. Among its
provisions, the bill will
provide about $270 million
in mandatory funding for the

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EPA and other agencies to
respond to drinking water
emergencies and lead
exposure, support needed
flood control projects that
protect millions of people
and billions of dollars’
worth of infrastructure,
and authorize $50 million
annually for grants to support
the development of new
technology that addresses
“pressing water challenges.”
The legislation passed by
a vote of 95-3. The text of
S. 2848 can be found here:
http://www.epw.senate.
gov/public/_cache/
files/141a2eca-1a00-4392a3f3-b69cc0cec872/
edw16572.pdf
Of specific interest to IAPMO
and the plumbing industry
is Sec. 7112 of the bill,

DITCHMEN • SEPTEMBER 2016

which formally establishes
WaterSense, the EPA’s
voluntary program that
identifies and promotes
water-efficient products,
buildings, landscapes,
facilities, processes, and
services that, through
voluntary labeling, meet
strict performance criteria
related to water and energy
conservation.
IAPMO and the HighPerformance Buildings
Coalition (HPBC), which is
chaired by IAPMO’s Senior
Vice President of Government
Relations Dain Hansen,
have long championed
WaterSense authorization
on Capitol Hill, including
the successful passing of
S. 2012, the Energy Policy
Modernization Act of 2016,
in April, which also included