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For Immediate Release: February 3, 2010
Source: Building America’s Future (www.BAFuture.org)
Contact: Laura Braden, 916-444-1380, lbraden@mercuryllc.com

Nation’s Safe Drinking and Waste Water Infrastructure Require Additional Investments; National Infrastructure Bank Should Be Established

SAN JOSE, CA – Today, at a news conference at the San Jose/Santa Clara Water Pollution Control Plant (WPCP), Building America’s Future, a bipartisan and national infrastructure coalition, discussed the importance of broad infrastructure investment for our nation’s drinking water and waste water treatment plants.  The American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) estimates that the United States needs $2.2 trillion over five years - $255 billion for water and wastewater - just to bring our nation’s infrastructure into “good” condition.

“America's future economic growth depends on infrastructure investment, and now is the time to invest,” said Governor Schwarzenegger, (CA), co-chair of Building America's Future.  “Our nation's pressing infrastructure needs go beyond transportation - from drinking and waste water systems to smart grid and broadband.  Investing in all of these areas can create jobs for hardworking Americans right when we need them the most, improve our quality of life and support our environment - all while investing in our nation's future economic growth.”

“We know that our nation’s infrastructure needs are vast,” said Governor Ed Rendell (PA), co-chair of Building America’s Future. “The President included roughly $4 billion of innovative financing for our transportation needs in the budget released this week, and that is commendable.  However, as we have seen right here in San Jose,  we need a true National Infrastructure Bank that will not be limited to transportation, but an entity that can help repair and modernize drinking and waste water infrastructure,  as well as our energy systems, broadband, classrooms for our children, and dams and levees.”

The WPCP is over 50 years old and treats and cleans the wastewater of about 1,500,000 people that live and work in the 300-square mile area encompassing San Jose, Santa Clara, Milpitas, Campbell, Cupertino, Los Gatos, Saratoga, and Monte Sereno.  Five of the 16 plant digesters are offline due to decay, and the WPCP needs $1.5 billion over the next decade for infrastructure repairs and improvements.  The Plant currently distributes up to 10 million gallons of recycled water per day through 100 miles of pipeline.  San Jose's goal is to beneficially reuse all of its wastewater, which could include increasing recycled water use to up to 40 million gallons per day. This would help alleviate Santa Clara County's dependence on water from the Delta. According to the Milken Institute, building wastewater infrastructure creates 27,500 jobs for every $1 billion invested.  

"Our waste and drinking water infrastructure needs a major overhaul.  Facilities and equipment are crumbling due to age and a lack of funds - not neglect," said San Jose Mayor Chuck Reed. "Rebuilding infrastructure must be a joint effort between local, state, and the federal government, and we need to attract private capital to close the gaps between the need and current funding levels. Such investment will help to create jobs and economic prosperity, protect the environment, and provide safe, reliable water resources for our communities."