Following several high-profile examples of municipal water failure – notably Flint, Michigan and Jackson, Mississippi – something that most Americans took for granted has gotten a renewed look in Washington. As part of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act passed in 2021, Georgia will be getting nearly $120 million to be used across the state for drinking water infrastructure upgrades. The money is largely thanks to the work of Georgia’s senators who were able to get broad support in the Senate for the disbursement.
“Senator Warnock and I are delivering water infrastructure upgrades to remove lead pipes from our drinking water and keep our families safe and healthy,” U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff said. “Our bipartisan infrastructure law will deliver long-overdue upgrades to Georgia’s infrastructure for years to come.”
As pointed out by Ossoff last year, Georgia is one of 22 states to receive an “F” in a “Get the Lead Out” study that examined public schools drinking water resources. The State Board of Education began testing 800 schools for lead in drinking water and estimated that hundreds of schools would fail the testing. Responsibility for replacing the contaminated pipes would fall on the school districts, many of which are already operating on very stretched budgets in poorer areas. The Drinking Water and Wastewater Infrastructure Act was folded into the infrastructure law, which is allowing this money to come now.
“This historic investment in upgrading Georgia’s drinking water infrastructure is yet another victory for our state that was made possible by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law,” said Sen. Raphael Warnock. “Ensuring access to clean, safe and reliable drinking water is essential to promote healthier communities that have the opportunity to thrive, and I am proud to join Senator Ossoff in getting it done for Georgians.”
The news comes just a few weeks after another $39.2 million was announced for water infrastructure upgrades. That funding also included wastewater and stormwater infrastructure, in addition to drinking water.
Longtime Atlantans will be aware of the problem of outdated waste- and stormwater infrastructure. In the 1990s, the city was hit with a Federal Consent Decree order due to recurrent flooding and sewage overflow problems. The decree forced Atlanta to address long overdue problems but also meant the city was limited in budgetary maneuvers because a whopping amount of money had to go towards the water infrastructure overhaul. For municipalities operating on tight budgets, consistent attention to infrastructure means avoiding emergency spending later that can cut programs in other areas.
Besides lead, flooding and wastewater problems can also impact community health, including downstream from urban areas. Oftentimes, stormwater infrastructure worst victims are downstream. Municipalities are mean to slow and strain stormwater but without proper infrastructure in place, water volume and pollution can have a big impact downstream.
