AGC Chapter Highlights Local Water Infrastructure Needs with Liquid Assets

The national dialogue about infrastructure investment is gaining momentum and one of the challenges our industry faces is educating the public about substantial national and local investment needs.Investment in infrastructure is increasingly viewed as a means of quickly stimulating the economy, and providing good jobs by rehabilitating and replacing aging infrastructure. AGC of America has been a leader in our Advocacy for the inclusion of major funding for all types of infrastructure in the much discussed 2009 stimulus package. EPA has estimated that the national need for drinking water and wastewater infrastructure ranges from $450-600 billion dollars over the next twenty years. AGC members and Chapters have a valuable tool to educate the public about our water and wastewater infrastructure needs with the AGC supported documentary Liquid Assets produced by Penn State Public Broadcasting. Many of our AGC members and AGC chapters have worked hard to ensure that Liquid Assets has been viewed 81 times in over 30 states since October 1, 2008. The Contractors Association of West Virginia recently worked with West Virginia Public Broadcasting and other stakeholder groups to raise public awareness about their State’s water infrastructure needs in conjunction with the December 15 broadcast of the PSU documentary Liquid Assets: The Story of Our Water Infrastructure. Representatives from the EPA, county water authorities, and private utility owners participated in a thirty minute roundtable discussion that aired after Liquid Assets to highlight the needs and challenges in West Virginia. View West Virginia PBS’ article about their Liquid Assets experience here and listen excerpts of the roundtable discussion by clicking here. AGC of America applauds the West Virginia Contractors Association for raising awareness about local infrastructure needs and is encouraged that West Virginia citizens will have another opportunity to view Liquid Assets when it broadcasts again in January 2009. If your company or AGC Chapter has had a Liquid Assets success story we would like you to share your experience. Visit the AGC Liquid Assets webpage at www.agc.org/liquidassets to learn how you can use Liquid Assets increase awareness of water infrastructure in your community. For additional information or to receive a copy of Liquid Assets while they are still available please contact Perry L. Fowler, Director of the AGC Municipal & Utilities Division at fowlerp@agc.org or (703)837-5321.