Published May 2005 — Download PDF of the original newspaper column
Byrd's-Eye View By U.S. Senator Robert C. Byrd Clean Water in Our Homes
Modem technology can speed information across the world in a fraction of a second. People travel from one continent to another in a matter of hours. The advancements will only continue to amaze. Unfortunately, there are still people in our country whose community infrastructure has barely entered the 20th century, let alone the 21st. One major problem is unsafe drinking water. Millions of Americans have drinking water which is filled with dangerous bacteria. It is an absolute travesty that some people in this country still turn on their kitchen faucets and get brown, cloudy liquid instead of pure, safe drinking water. In fact, according to studies from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), more than 16 million Americans lack access to safe drinking water. In today's America, safe drinking water should be a reliable staple of everyday life. That is why I have worked in the Senate to boost the federal investment in constructing water and sewer systems. A project in Randolph County is the latest example. In 1997, community leaders put forward their plan for the Upper Tygart River Watershed Project to bring water service to thousands of area residents. They had a good plan, but did not have the funding. That's why I went to work to get the funding through the federal appropriations process. Using my position as the top Democratic Senator on the Appropriations Committee, I added more than $21 million to appropriations bills to make this project a reality, including the final $4 million in legislation just recently signed into law. Because of my partnership with local leaders, the Upper Tygart River Watershed Project soon will provide clean and safe drinking water to 16,000 people in Southern Randolph County. While this is an important milestone, there remains much work ahead. The terrible truth is that, in our state and all across the country, the health of millions of men, women, and children is vulnerable because of their reliance on a contaminated water supply. Hundreds of billions of dollars are needed to bring clean, safe drinking water to all Americans. The needs continue to grow and more and more of our people are at risk because the federal government refuses to face the problem. Clean water should not be some fancy luxury only afforded to those living in wealthy communities; clean water is basic to the health and prosperity of all citizens. May 25, 2005