McNerney introduces first bill

Today, Congressman Jerry McNerney is introducing his first bill -- the Healthy Communities Water Supply Act of 2007 -- along with Rep. Ellen Tauscher. The bill will authorize $125 million in funding for projects that increase usable water supply by encouraging innovation in water reclamation, reuse, and conservation.

“Right now, parts of California are poised to break records for the driest January ever,” Rep. McNerney said in a press release.  “Not only that, but increasing global temperatures will have an impact on the melting snowpack that provides water for much of California.  This bill authorizes funds to develop alternative sources of clean drinking water, as well as water for agricultural and industrial purposes.”

According to the press release, the Healthy Communities Water Supply Act of 2007 "amends the Federal Water Pollution Control Act to authorize alternative water source projects.  Importantly, it will provide a necessary source of funding for ideas like aquifer storage and retrieval and membrane filtering technologies that have the potential to greatly increase our ability to use water more effectively and efficiently."

“I am excited about this act, which encourages innovation by authorizing funding for pilot projects to develop water supplies through conservation, management and reclamation,” Rep. McNerney said.

The Healthy Communities Water Supply Act of 2007 will be considered by the House Subcommittee on Water Resources and the Environment on Wednesday, January 31.