Contents: (1) Intro.; (2) Background: History of Fed. Involvement; Wastewater; Drinking Water; USDA Assistance Programs; (3) Water Infrastructure Debate: Invest. Needs; EPA Needs Surveys; Drinking Water and Wastewater Needs; Future Investment; Gap Analysis Report; (4) Issues: (a) Priorities: What are the Problems to be Solved?: Infrastructure Replace.; Security; Funding Other Priorities; (b) Fed. Role; (c) Delivering Fed. Support: Admin. Entity; Type of Assistance Provided: Grants and Loans; Fed. Funds for Private Infrastructure Systems; Fed. Tax Issues; Fed. Cross-Cutting Requirements; Set-Asides; Allotment of Funds and Congress. Directed Project Grants; (d) Res. on New Technol.; (5) Congress. and Admin. Activity, 107th-110th Congress. Tables.

In 2007, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) conducted the fourth Drinking Water Infrastructure Needs Survey and Assessment. The results indicate a 20-year capital investment need of $334.8 billion for public water systems that are eligible to receive funding from state Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF) programs -- approximately 52,000 community water systems and 21,400 not-for-profit non-community water systems (including schools and churches). The assessment covers costs for repairs and replacement of transmission pipes, storage and treatment equipment, and other projects required to protect public health and to ensure compliance with the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA). The EPA uses the assessment results to allocate DWSRF funds to the states and tribes as required by SDWA.