WASHINGTON – U. S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.), a senior member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, today noted that more than three dozen national organizations from across the political spectrum were calling for increased investment in America’s water infrastructure.

“People rarely think about how important water infrastructure is to our public health, our economy or simply to quench our thirst. But incidents like the recent crisis in Flint underscore the dangers that can result when the safety of our drinking water is not made a priority,” said Senator Cardin. “I am heartened to know that more than three dozen organizations, representing tens of millions of members from all across the country, are calling for increased investments in our nation’s water infrastructure.”

Organizations include:

1. Amalgamated Transit Union
2. American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC)
3. American Federation of Teachers
4. American Public Works Association (APWA)
5. American Rivers
6. American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE)
7. Associated General Contractors of America (AGC)
8. Association of Metropolitan Water Agencies (AMWA)
9. BlueGreen Alliance
10. Chesapeake Bay Foundation
11. Clean Water Action
12. Communications Workers of America
13. Earthjustice
14. EDF Action
15. Environment America
16. Environmental Defense Fund
17. Food and Water Watch
18. International Union of Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers (BAC)
19. International Union of Operating Engineers (IUOE)
20. Laborers International Union of North America (LIUNA)
21. League of Conservation Voters
22. Maryland Rural Development Corporation
23. National Association Clean Water Agencies (NACWA)
24. National Association of Counties
25. National Conference of State Legislatures
26. National League of Cities
27. National Wildlife Federation
28. Natural Resources Defense Council
29. Northeast-Midwest Institute
30. Parents for Nontoxic Alternatives
31. River Network
32. Rural Community Assistance Partnership (RCAP)
33. Service Employees International Union
34. Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Union
35. Sierra Club
36. Southern Environmental Law Center
37. Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership
38. Union of Concerned Scientists
39. United Association of Journeymen and Apprentices of the Plumbing and Pipe Fitting Industry of the United States and Canada
40. United Association of Plumbers and Pipefitters (United Association)
41. United Auto Workers
42. United Steel Workers
43. Utility Workers Union of America
44. Vinyl Institute (VI)
45. Water Alliance
46. Water Infrastructure Network

“Clean water is one of the most basic foundations of our daily lives – we ignore its safe storage and delivery at our own peril. Unfortunately, we have a lengthy history of overlooking the need to invest in this key aspect of our future, and children in communities like Flint are the ones being made to suffer most,” said Senator Cardin. “We can and must immediately do more as a country to better protect our waters and our kids.”

Senator Cardin recently introduced legislation that responds to the nationwide crisis of unsafe drinking water and crumbling infrastructure that has combined to poison residents of Flint, Mich., and communities throughout the country, by more than tripling the drinking water and clean water state revolving funds. 

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