Section 2. Legislative findings.
The General Assembly finds and declares as follows:
(1) Pennsylvania has an estimated 2,200 drinking water
systems and 1,060 wastewater systems.
(2) Drinking water and wastewater treatment systems
protect public health and the environment and are responsible
for cleaning and treating waters of this Commonwealth.
(3) Changing Federal and State regulations relative to
the treatment of drinking water and wastewater are creating
financial problems for drinking water and wastewater
treatment systems.
(4) Many of the drinking water and wastewater treatment
systems must manage aging infrastructure, and the maintenance
and replacement costs are estimated to be in excess of
$18,000,000,000.
(5) According to the Environmental Protection Agency,
Pennsylvania ranks seventh in infrastructure financing needs
for water infrastructure.
(6) Additional funding sources are needed if
Pennsylvania is to have a sustainable water infrastructure in
the future.
(7) The Governor signed executive order 2008-02,
creating a water infrastructure task force to ensure that
Pennsylvania maintains a sustainable drinking water and
wastewater infrastructure.
(8) It is beyond the financial means of local ratepayers
to fund all the improvements that are needed for a
sustainable drinking water and wastewater infrastructure.