Miller's Water Recycling Bill Passes Senate
Bill would create federal-municipal partnership for Bay Area water recycling projects
WASHINGTON, DC – 4/10/08 – Water recycling projects in Pittsburg and five other Bay Area communities moved one critical step forward today as the U.S. Senate approved Congressman George Miller’s (D – Martinez) legislation to provide federal assistance for these innovative local projects.
Miller’s bill, the Bay Area Regional Water Recycling Act, was one of several approved by the Senate in a package of bills. His bill would provide federal assistance to municipal efforts to increase the use of recycled water and decrease the amount of water taken from the San Francisco Bay Delta and other fresh water sources. The House approved Miller’s bill last July.
“This bill provides an innovative, creative and long term solution to California’s water problems,” said Miller, a long-time advocate of water recycling and conservation and an expert on California water issues. “Water reuse can and should play a growing and significant role in California water resource management.”
The City of Pittsburg and the Delta Diablo Sanitation District, in Miller’s congressional district, have been leading the local effort, investing time, energy, and local funds in developing water recycling projects to help meet regional water needs.
“The city of Pittsburg has already put in a significant amount of time and effort into developing their water recycling projects. For example, instead of using fresh water from the Delta, recycled water would be applied to city parks, golf courses, medians, and other green spaces,” Miller said. “This bill will give them the extra support they need to successfully complete their projects.”
Water recycling offers great potential to states like California that suffer periodic droughts and have limited fresh water supplies. Miller’s bill will establish a partnership between the federal government and local communities to implement a regional water recycling program in the Bay Area. In addition to Pittsburg, the bill helps Antioch, Palo Alto, Mountain View, Pacifica, South Santa Clara County, Redwood City, and San Jose.
Senators Barbara Boxer and Dianne Feinstein introduced a version of the Bay Area Regional Water Recycling Act in 2007, and supported the Consolidated Natural Resources Act’s passage in the Senate today.
The legislation now returns to the House, where it will need to be approved once more before being sent to the President to be signed into law.
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energyandenvironment
water recycling
Posted by PDP-Staff at April 10, 08 06:38 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
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