Duarte pitches bipartisan bill to fund water technology grants
Last week, Rep. John Duarte (R – Modesto) introduced the bipartisan Water Infrastructure Modernization Act to create federal grant programs aimed at increasing the use of smart water technologies. Duarte teamed up with Arizona Democratic Rep. Ruben Gallego to author the bill. The big picture: The Water Infrastructure Modernization Act would provide $50 million in new EPA funding for grants which water utilities can use to purchase and implement new technology. Such technology includes identifying water loss, examining pipe integrity, detecting leaks, preparing for severe weather and innovating water storage systems, among others. The grants would be dished out in two programs over a five-year period.