National Water Organizations Ask Congress to Help Address Water Resource Impacts...

National Water Organizations Ask Congress to Help Address Water Resource
Impacts of Climate Change

ALEXANDRIA, Va., May 20 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Water Environment
Federation (WEF) and a coalition of national water organizations called on
Congress today to recognize the severe impacts that global climate change will
likely have on water resources in the United States. The other organizations
were the American Water Works Association, Association of Metropolitan Water
Agencies, National Association of Clean Water Agencies, National Association
of Flood and Stormwater Management Agencies, National Association of Water
Companies, Water Utility Climate Alliance, and the Western Urban Water
Coalition.

Most experts believe drinking water providers, flood and stormwater agencies,
and wastewater systems will experience serious and immediate repercussions
from climate change, such as reduced snow pack, increased storm frequency,
drought, and rising sea levels. Sent in advance of the Senate's planned June
debate of S. 2191, the Lieberman-Warner Climate Security Act, the
organizations hope this statement will serve as a framework for Congressional
action on the nexus between climate change and water.

"Climate change and its growing impact on our world is the paramount
environmental issue of our time," said WEF Executive Director Bill Bertera.
"This action demonstrates our organizations' collective and ongoing commitment
to providing a sustainable water environment by raising awareness among
policymakers about this crucial environmental concern."

According to the organizations, enactment of their recommendations would be a
significant contribution toward the sector's efforts to continue providing
critical water service in spite of climate change. The statement notes that
"[m]any of the most critical impacts of global climate change will manifest
themselves through the hydrologic system, and there is already strong evidence
that climate change is having an impact on the world's water resources." The
organizations are encouraging Congress to include the following objectives
when developing comprehensive climate change legislation:

1. Research programs to develop and improve climate prediction models,
necessary data resources, alternative water sources, new water
management
techniques, and evaluations of new carbon control technologies;

1. Increased financial support for climate adaptation projects, including
infrastructure enhancements, that may be needed to neutralize the
regional impacts of climate change;

1. Incentives that encourage utilities, along with other small-scale
emitters, to voluntarily reduce their greenhouse gas emissions.

WEF's involvement with this statement is a direct result of its own climate
change resolution. Passed in October 2006, the resolution commits WEF to
working with its members, members associations, and others to help reduce the
impacts of climate change to better prepare the water quality community for
its effects. It also urges WEF members and local agencies to become leaders in
their own communities by taking steps to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from
treatment facilities and related operations, and by educating the public.
Other activities include an organization-wide "Low Carbon Diet" program, a
Community of Practice on Sustainability, and a specialty conference called,
"Sustainability 2008: Green Practices for the Water Environment" to be held
June 25-28, 2008 in National Harbor, Md.

In addition, WEF is working with the Water Environment Research Foundation to
ensure that research dollars are available for studying the impacts of global
climate change on our water resources and will remain active in developing
policy recommendations to prepare for the likely enactment of a climate policy
from the next Congress.

To download the statement on "Climate Change Impacts on Water Resources" and
to learn more about WEF's climate change and sustainability activities, visit
www.wef.org.

About WEF
Formed in 1928, the Water Environment Federation (WEF) is a not-for-profit
technical and educational organization with more than 34,000 individual
members and 81 affiliated Member Associations representing an additional
50,000 water quality professionals throughout the world. WEF and its member
associations proudly work to achieve our mission of preserving and enhancing
the global water environment.

SOURCE Water Environment Federation

Lori Harrison of Water Environment Federation, +1-703-684-2480,
lharrison@wef.org