WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Tom Carper (D-Del.), top Democrat on the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee (EPW), Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), Deb Fischer (R-Neb.) and Ben Cardin (D-Md.) issued the following statements after the president signed into law the Water Infrastructure Improvement Act, bipartisan legislation that will provide public water utilities in communities across the country with greater flexibility to develop management plans to meet federal standards under the Clean Water Act (CWA).

“Every American deserves to know that our nation’s waters are not impaired with contaminants. This bipartisan bill—now signed into law—moves us another step closer to reaching that goal,” Senator Carper said. “The bill will help communities across the country meet federal Clean Water Act standards.  It enables public utilities to create community-based water plans and connects municipalities with experts at EPA, thereby providing rural utilities with more of the certainty needed to make long-term water infrastructure investments. What might seem like a small bill will make a big difference for American families, especially those in smaller, more rural areas. I’d like to thank Senators Brown, Fischer and Cardin, along with their hardworking staffs, for their dedication to getting this across the finish line.”