GovPro: Stimulus bill funds water infrastructure projects, but just a drop in the bucket

From GovPro:  

The recently approved $787 billion economic stimulus package has $7 billion set aside for drinking-water and wastewater infrastructure projects. While significant, that $7 billion is just a drop in the bucket compared with the work needed to bring the nation’s aging water systems up to date.  Over the next 20 years, some $277 billion must be invested to keep our drinking-water systems from falling further into disrepair, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).  The Denver-based American Water Works Association (AWWA) recently calculated that there were at least $10 billion in drinking-water infrastructure projects that could begin construction within 120 days of passage of a stimulus bill. The AWWA’s membership includes more than 4,600 utilities, government districts and city departments that supply water to 180 million people in North America.