MMA letter to House Speaker urging support for Water Infrastructure Finance Commission

The Honorable Robert A. DeLeo
Speaker of the House of Representatives
State House, Boston

Dear Mr. Speaker,

On behalf of the cities and towns of the Commonwealth, the Massachusetts Municipal Association respectfully requests your support for an override of the Governor’s veto of Section 145 of the fiscal 2010 general appropriations act. This section creates a Water Infrastructure Finance Commission, which we believe is a critical commission to help the Commonwealth plan for the public health, economic and growth issues relating to water and wastewater.

The commission would be charged with evaluating the public health and public safety issues associated with water and wastewater infrastructure in the Commonwealth and recommending possible avenues to increase the investment in this important infrastructure. The Commonwealth and its municipalities are facing a water and wastewater crisis created by antiquated infrastructure and a failure to properly invest in maintaining the existing infrastructure. In fiscal 2006 and 2007, there was a reported $900 million shortfall between funding requests from the Department of Environmental Protection and the amounts awarded. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency estimates that $8.5 billion is needed in the Commonwealth from 2003 and 2022 to improve access and safety of drinking water infrastructure.

It is important for the continued economic growth of the Commonwealth and for our public health that we determine our future water and wastewater needs as well as mechanisms to pay for such improvements. We simply cannot grow without access to water. Additionally, investments in drinking water infrastructure create jobs; 57,400 jobs are created for every $1 billion spent on the drinking water infrastructure.

Local officials know the importance of asset management for water systems. Water and wastewater utilities are among the most capital-intensive of all utility services. Cities and towns across the Commonwealth have made an enormous investment in water, wastewater, and drainage infrastructures. Other public assets such as schools, roads, and recreational facilities are easier to appreciate because they’re so visible. However, our water and wastewater assets require far more capital investment. The reliability and performance of these systems are an essential underpinning of all economic activity and property values. If our water systems deteriorate, public health, fire protection, economic development, and quality of life will be affected.

On behalf of the cities and towns of the Commonwealth, the MMA respectfully requests your support for an override of Section 145. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to have your staff contact Tom Philbin (ext. 121) at the MMA at any time.

Thank you very much.

Sincerely,

Geoffrey C. Beckwith
MMA Executive Director