Delaware bill could bring residents quicker access to clean drinking water
DELAWARE –
Delaware lawmakers are trying to tackle the issue of clean drinking water in the First State.
Governor John Carney has already pledged $50 million from the State for the Clean Water Trust. The goal is to rebuild Delaware’s drinking water infrastructure, prevent flooding in vulnerable communities, and keep contamination out of our waterways. But what happens while those affected are waiting for improvement? That’s where Representative Bryan Shupe believes House Bill 69 could help. The bill would create a program where residents could apply for grants to get faster access to clean drinking water.
Representative Shupe says the measure “will allow a non profit to come test their well water and put a filtration system so in the intermediate period there will be clean water in that household.”
The establishment of the “Residential Drinking Water Purification System Grant Program” includes is explained by: The Department of Health and Social Services is authorized to establish a pilot program to issue grants for the installation of drinking water purification systems in residential homes located in Delaware where the owner’s income is less than 200% of the poverty level in Delaware and the home is not served by a central water system. The geographical area of the pilot program shall be determined by the Department of Health and Social Services. The total amount of grants authorized for the pilot program shall not exceed $49,000 per year. The program funding will be administered by the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund. Section 2. This act shall sunset 2 years after its effective date.
Representative Shupe is a sponsor of the bill and says, “House Bill 69 takes care of the time period between when we recognize there’s a problem on the street level, to when the pipes actually get in the ground . . . that could be five, ten, 15 years, depending the project.”
The bill is currently still being discussed in the health and human development committee in the House. For more on HB 69 click here.
