AWWA JTMGT69630

There are presently before Congress some congressional initiatives (H.R. 5976 The U.S. Commission on Rebuilding America) to develop the nation's third national infrastructure plan (the 1808 Gallatin plan resulted in the canal network; Roosevelt's 1908 Conference produced a rail system and water improvements) which the water sector hopes will result in a water trust fund that will provide funding assistance for the enormous water capital needs. The early lack of support for this effort has been attributed by some to the public's distrust that additional funding will be efficiently spent. A recently completed Water Research Foundation study called "Improving Water Utility Capital Efficiency" addresses this problem. The study has resulted in a report and associated models that will take water and wastewater utilities through the process of becoming capital efficient.