[KarlInOhio]

I have a radical idea.... if cities need more money for water and sewers, they could (now don't plug your ears until you hear the whole thing) raise water and sewer rates to pay for it. Yes, I know it sounds crazy at first, but those who use more of the service would pay more for the service.

[Zeppelin]

Watch it...that hints at capitalism, and that kind of language vill not be tolerated...

[arrogantsob]

The true picture is that the fedgov imposes certain treatment levels on communities through the state discharge permit system. Hence, many smaller towns and cities find it hard to afford to meet the new standards.

EPA gave grants to municipalities to help handle the costs of building and maintaining these systems requiring them to charge according to useage and at high enough levels for operation, maintenance and replacement of the treatment works (not the sewers themselves.) Capital costs were not under federal purview either.

Then the Construction Grant program was ended and the aid was given via loans through state run loan programs. All these funds are intended to be perpetual for this purpose and all are doing well. In fact, they often have problems giving all the money out because of the assinine hoops the applicants have to jump through to get the money.

If the infrastructure is made more costly by federal mandates then the costs will be more costly for the smaller municipalities. They can kill smaller weak communities and are in less populated areas of the country without federal aid.