With Republicans in Congress looking to spur job creation by reducing regulatory burdens, the fall may bring an opportunity for action on AMWA-backed legislation to allow drinking water systems to distribute annual consumer confidence reports (CCRs) electronically. Current law requires CCRs to be distributed in paper form, usually through the U.S. mail, but allowing utilities to distribute them over the Internet could save water systems thousands of dollars per year.
Staffers for the House Energy and Commerce Committee have expressed interest in moving the legislation (H.R. 1340), and are exploring ways to do so in a bipartisan fashion. To support this effort, AMWA is asking its member utilities to write their members of Congress in support of the bill, along with estimates of how much money electronic CCR reporting could save on an annual basis. A draft letter was mailed to AMWA members in early September, but please contact AMWA’s Dan Hartnett if you would like it re-sent.
Meanwhile, AMWA also joined with other drinking water associations in September in sending H.R. 1340’s sponsor, Rep. C.W. Bill Young (R-Fla.), a letter formally endorsing the bill. A copy of the letter is available on AMWA’s Legislative Information webpage.