Davids Releases New Report on the State of Water in the Third District

Today, Representative Sharice Davids released a new report examining the status and safety of water infrastructure in the Third District of Kansas, the second installment in her office's "State of our Systems" series. The series details the most pressing infrastructure needs in the district and how Davids is working to bring federal funds to those projects. Following the first report on bridges, this report highlights present risks and priority projects in local drinking water, wastewater, and stormwater systems. Key findings include:

• No comprehensive data exists on lead water lines that carry drinking water in Kansas, but one estimate puts the number as high as 160,000 – the third highest per capita nationwide.
• By 2031, over 80% of the Wyandotte County stormwater systems are forecasted to be in emergency status, needing immediate repairs.
• There are 3,975 miles of wastewater pipe in the Third District and nearly $1 billion in wastewater treatment facility repairs are needed over the next 25 years to prevent overflows and failures.
• The bipartisan infrastructure bill, which Davids voted to pass, will make the largest investment in clean drinking water and wastewater infrastructure in our nation's history.

Davids announced these findings today alongside local experts from Johnson County and Unified Government Public Works Departments as well as WaterOne and the Kansas City Board of Public Utilities. Speakers joined Davids to emphasize the importance of investing in water infrastructure and praise the passage of the bipartisan infrastructure bill, which will bring an estimated $454 million over five years to improve water infrastructure in Kansas and ensure that all Kansans have clean, safe drinking water in their homes, schools, and on Tribal lands. The bill is paid for through a combination of new revenues and savings and has been called the most fiscally responsible infrastructure bill in at least a decade by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

"From the water in our tap to the rain in our gutters, water infrastructure touches many parts of our lives. When those systems fail or weaken, it puts our health and safety at risk—including the possibility of lead exposure, wastewater contamination, and more," said Davids. "The bipartisan infrastructure bill we just signed into law has historic investments in water, including targeted funding to identify and replace lead pipes, and help our communities ensure waste and stormwater systems are resilient and safe for years to come."

"Water infrastructure is the backbone of healthy and resilient communities and economies – but it's often out of sight and mind when everything is working well…efficient and reliable water services will support the growth and redevelopment of our community," said Aaron Witt, Johnson County Wastewater Chief Engineer. "The Infrastructure Bill will help us to reinvest in our communities so that we can provide clean, safe, affordable water for generations to come."

"Without changing the way we do business, without making a quick and concerted effort, a majority of our stormwater system—a system which protects life, property, streets, and the environment—will fail by 2031," said Dave Reno,Unified Government Public Works. "The bipartisan infrastructure bill will help us maintain and renew the infrastructure of today, and it will also help us to begin the construction of the infrastructure of tomorrow. We are grateful to Representative Davids for shining a light on the challenges our city and others face, we are grateful for her strong commitment to infrastructure issues, and we are grateful for her work to bring federal dollars to the Unified Government."

"This bipartisan bill really does provide a good first step in addressing the long-term needs of infrastructure that we're seeing in our country. It authorizes and reappropriates additional funding to the state revolving fund program that helps utilities throughout the country, but especially in the state of Kansas, and it has additional funding to help with lead service lines," said Mike Armstrong,General Manager of WaterOne. "The bipartisan bill would help keep our rates low and affordable for all of our customers...thank you again, Representative Davids, we appreciate all that you have done for infrastructure, we appreciate your support of our organization, and we appreciate you voting on this bill."

"BPU needs assistance to replace small aging water mains in low-income areas. This would help spark new development for much needed housing in these areas. It would also bring back the small businesses to the neighborhoods," said David Mehlhaff,Chief Communications Officer for Kansas CityBoard of Public Utilities. "It is already difficult to control the cost for our customer base in a poor community like Wyandotte County where 21% of our residents live below poverty levels."

The full "State of our Systems: Water" report can be accessed here. The first report, "State of our Systems: Bridges," can be accessed here.