A crew works on upgrading pipes and valves at a North Alamo Water Supply Corporation water plant in Donna, Texas, on Thursday, July 18, 2024. Congressional spending and cuts to vital state-run federally assisted programs are threatening to further diminish our ability to invest in our water future, writes Perry L. Fowler.Texans are becoming more acutely aware that water and our water infrastructure are critical for our health and safety — and our economic prosperity.
The projects funded by the SRFs reflect local priorities and projects that are thoroughly evaluated and ranked before receiving funding. The SRFs make projects financially viable in communities large and small, which means more affordable water bills for families and small businesses already struggling with historic inflation.
Congressionally directed spending, also known as earmarks, are being drawn from already critically underfunded federal SRF accounts rather than seeking alternative means of funding.