James Starr

“The collection and treatment of domestic sewage and wastewater is vital to public health and clean water. It is among the most important factors responsible for the general level of good health enjoyed in the United States.”

“One-fifth of the US economy would grind to a halt without a reliable and clean source of water.”

“We can no longer afford to defer investment in our nation’s infrastructure.”

“Because America’s drinking water infrastructure provides a critical service, significant new investment and increased efficiencies are needed as filtration plants, pipes, and pumps age past their useful life.”

“While drinking water infrastructure is funded primarily through a rate-based system, the investment has been inadequate for decades and will continue to be underfunded without significant changes as the revenue generated will fall short as needs grow.”

“Traditionally biosolids were considered waste and transferred to landfills. However, when properly treated and processed biosolids become nutrient rich organic material that can be applied as fertilizer or, through the use of anaerobic digesters and centrifuges, can be pelletized and incinerated at high pressure and temperature for use as energy.”

“As cities continue to experience population growth, particularly in the south and west, new housing developments are constructed, and rural households switch from septic systems to public sewers, pressure on existing centralized systems and treatment plant infrastructure will require billions of dollars in new investment to meet federal regulatory requirements.”

“Of all the infrastructure types, water is the most fundamental to life, and is irreplaceable for drinking, cooking, and bathing.”

“…Many industries–food and chemical manufacturing and power plants, for example–could not operate without the clean water that is a component of finished processes or that is used for industrial processes or cooling.”