Wicker’s rural water bill signed by Obama

President Barack Obama signed into law bipartisan legislation this week to aid rural and small communities in complying with federal “safe drinking water” regulations.

U.S. Sens. Roger Wicker (R-MS) and Heidi Heitkamp (D-ND) introduced the Grassroots Rural and Small Community Water Systems Assistance Act, S. 611, this February. The legislation received final Senate passage in June and was approved in November by the House.

S. 611 is the Senate companion to H.R. 2853, which was introduced in the House by Environment and the Economy Subcommittee Vice Chairman Gregg Harper (R-MS). H.R. 2853 will help in alleviating the financial burden of EPA water regulations on small and rural drinking water supplies.

“More than 90 percent of the drinking water supplied in our country comes from small and rural communities, many of which lack the resources to meet revised EPA safe drinking water standards,” Wicker said. “In order for these areas to comply with federal regulations, they need greater access to critical assistance and training programs. I am pleased that Sen. Heitkamp, Rep. Harper, and I were able to work together on a bill that helps guarantee that the nation’s rural areas will be able to provide safe, clean water for their citizens.”

Under the legislation, the Safe Drinking Water Act program is reauthorized and improved. It also provides $15 million per year for technical assistance and training provisions over the next six years to aid small and rural public water systems in ensuring compliance with National Primary Drinking Water Regulations.

The last authorization of the bill expired in 2004.

“It is an exciting day for rural communities and small municipalities throughout Mississippi and across the United States,” Harper said. “This bill provides smaller communities with the necessary resources to ensure that they will continue to have safe and clean drinking water. I commend the hard work by Sens. Roger Wicker and Heidi Heitkamp, as well as my House colleagues, Chairman Fred Upton, Reps. John Shimkus and Paul Tonko in helping to get this legislation signed into law.”