Groups Urge Congress to Address Water Resource Impacts of Climate Change

WASHINGTON, May 20 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- As Congress prepares to begin
consideration of climate change legislation, a coalition of eight national
water organizations today called on senators and representatives to recognize
the severe impacts that global climate change will likely have on water
resources in the United States.

The groups - whose members serve the vast majority of U.S. water and
wastewater consumers - urged Congress to ensure that upcoming climate change
legislation includes federal support and incentives to help drinking water
providers, flood and stormwater agencies and wastewater systems confront the
impacts of climate change.

In a statement (available at www.amwa.net/cs/climatechange) sent to members of
the House and Senate in advance of next month's planned consideration of S.
2191, the "Lieberman-Warner Climate Security Act," the water organizations
stressed 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." Most experts believe drinking water providers, flood and
stormwater agencies and wastewater systems will experience serious
repercussions from climate change, such as reduced snow pack, increased storm
frequency and drought, and rising sea levels.

The organizations identified three broad objectives that Congress should
include in comprehensive climate change legislation:

1. Research to develop and improve climate prediction models, necessary
data
resources, alternative water sources, new water management techniques,
and evaluations of new carbon control technologies;
2. Federal and other financial support for climate adaptation projects,
including infrastructure enhancements, that may be needed to neutralize
the regional impacts of climate change; and
3. Incentives that encourage utilities, along with other small-scale
emitters, to voluntarily reduce their greenhouse gas emissions.

The water organizations believe their statement should serve as a framework
for Congressional action on the nexus between climate change and water.
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 the effects of climate change.

To view the complete statement, visit http://www.amwa.net/cs/climatechange.

SOURCE Association of Metropolitan Water Agencies

Tom Curtis of American Water Works Association, +1-202-628-8303; Dan Hartnett
of Association of Metropolitan Water Agencies, +1-202-331-2820; Susan Bruninga
of National Association of Clean Water Agencies, +1-202-833-3280; Susan Gilson
of National Assoc. of Flood and Stormwater Management Agencies,
+1-202-218-4133; Louis Jenny of National Association of Water Companies,
+1-202-833-0139; Pat Sinicropi of Water Environment Federation,
+1-703-684-2416; Guy Martin of Western Urban Water Coalition, +1-202-654-1755;
or David Behar of Water Utility Climate Alliance, +1-415-554-3221