In Madison County, Duckworth Underscores Importance of Water Infrastructure Funding

In Madison County, Duckworth Underscores Importance of Water Infrastructure Funding

[EAST ALTON, IL] - U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today hosted local, state and regional leaders to discuss ongoing water infrastructure challenges throughout Madison County. As PFAS contamination in drinking water supply has become more prevalent throughout the county, compounded with aging water infrastructure, Duckworth and leaders discussed the need for more funding for the region, an issue Duckworth has been a leader on. Photos from today's meeting are available on the Senator's website.

"For years I've been working to bring awareness to the water infrastructure problems that plague the nation and this region and bring in more funding and oversight," Duckworth said. "As we learn more about the ongoing issues in Madison County it's clear that we need a whole of government approach, bringing together federal, state and local agencies to support a full, comprehensive overhaul of the region's water infrastructure. As this Administration continues to recklessly gut funding for clean water projects and initiatives that actually would make America healthier, I'm committed to doing what I can to help ensure our children have clean drinking water."

Duckworth today met with a range of leaders in the region including Illinois State Senator Erica Harris (IL-SD-56), Illinois State Representative Katie Stuart (IL-HD-112), Granite City Mayor Mike Parkinson, Maryville Mayor Wayne White, Glen Carbon Mayor Bob Marcus, Collinsville Mayor Jeff Stehman, Madison County Administrator Dave Tanzyus, Illinois Water Survey Director Jenna Shelton, National Great Rivers Research & Education Center Director Paige Mettler-Cherry, and leaders from the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency and Illinois Emergency Management Agency.

As co-chair and co-founder of the U.S. Senate's first ever Environmental Justice Caucus, Duckworth has been a strong advocate for bringing environmental justice to Illinois and the entire country. Her Drinking Water and Wastewater Infrastructure Act was signed into law as part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law as the largest federal investment in water infrastructure in history to help rebuild our nation's crumbling and dangerous water infrastructure, including $15 billion to replacement lead service lines and $5 billion for contaminants like PFAS, with many of the programs tailored to help low-income communities designed specifically for communities like Cahokia Heights and East St. Louis. Last month, Duckworth sought to block $125 million in Republican cuts to lead service line replacement projects by redirecting a portion of Trump's exorbitant $2 billion U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) slush fund.

In the Metro East, Duckworth has long worked to bring attention to the environmental injustices, calling on EPA to conduct enhanced monitoring and enforcement of the area, requesting a formal public health assessment by the federal Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) on the impact of decades of flooding in Cahokia Heights and working to provide federal oversight and funding to repair the failing water system and improve the community members lives. Duckworth has frequently met with residents to discuss the persistent inland flooding and environmental justice issues the community faces, including leading a federal delegation tour of the area. Duckworth, along with U.S. Senate Minority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) has secured funding for multiple projects throughout the Metro East to help repair the crumbling water infrastructure and assist local community organizations through the Congressionally Directed Spending process.

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