Recently passed legislation will provide increased funding to protect America’s drinking water and preserve efforts toward long-term water conservation.

(WESTERVILLE, OH — July 24, 2020) The National Ground Water Association (NGWA) applauds the recent passage of the Great American Outdoors Act (GAOA). The bill, which was passed with broad bipartisan support, includes key provisions and funding for responsible management of America’s water resources and infrastructure.

The GAOA, which was introduced by Senator Cory Gardner (R-Colorado) earlier this year, funds the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF for short) at a level of $900 million every year and addresses the approximately $20 billion maintenance backlog on federal public lands.

In all 50 states and U.S. territories, our national, state, and local parks, forests, wildlife areas, and other public lands provide clean drinking water, protection for groundwater, and other benefits for water resources such as aquifers, rivers, lakes, ponds, and streams. Funding will also be available for remediation of water supplies on public lands that have been impacted by point and nonpoint sources.

“The role that our parks and public lands play in maintaining the country’s clean water supply is too often overlooked” said David S. Lipson, Ph.D., who sits on NGWA’s Board of Directors and is a principal hydrogeologist with HRS Water Consultants in Lakewood, Colorado. “We thank Senator Gardner for his work toward passing this important piece of legislation. Colorado and the country will be stronger and healthier because of this bill.”

Lipson will be attending a celebration of passage of the act and tour of deferred maintenance projects at the Rocky Mountain Arsenal and Wildlife Refuge.

For more information or additional comments please contact Ben Frech at bfrech@ngwa.org or call (614) 898-7791, ext. 1570.

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The National Ground Water Association is a not-for-profit professional society and trade association for the global groundwater industry. Our members around the world include leading public and private sector groundwater scientists, engineers, water well system professionals, manufacturers, and suppliers of groundwater-related products and services. The Association’s vision is to be the leading groundwater association advocating for responsible development, management, and use of water.