Volk Testifies Before EPW Committee

Executive Director of North Dakota Rural Water Systems Association (NDRWSA) Eric Volk testified before the U.S. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works hearing on September 7 entitled "Implementing the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act: Perspectives on The Drinking Water and Wastewater Infrastructure Act, Part II." The hearing allowed Volk to share challenges and perspectives rural and small water systems are facing with members of the committee.

To begin his testimony, Volk shared that of the 306 active community water systems in the state of North Dakota, 296 of those systems serve a population of 10,000 or less.

"Meeting the demands of repairing and replacing aging infrastructure and complying with rules and regulations are taking its toll on many small and rural water systems," Volk said. "Another major challenge facing rural and small water systems is the ever-increasing rural-to-urban migration, which continues to decrease the population base, and which adds to the cost to the individual consumer. This does offer a challenge in finding affordable ways to bring quality water to rural areas. Without significant state and federal grant funding, the cost to the consumer is just too much for the average family to afford."

In a survey NDRWSA conducted in conjunction with the North Dakota Department of Water Resources and the North Dakota League of Cities, it is estimated $2.1 billion will be needed in the next 10 years in North Dakota to cover the costs of replacing the aging water infrastructure, which includes distribution and supply lines, wells and intakes, and water treatment plants. In the next 20 years, an estimated $3.6 billion will be needed to replace water infrastructure in North Dakota. Volk expressed the need to invest in State Revolving Loan Funds to help meet this need.

Next, Volk touched on how the current economic climate makes it difficult for water systems to complete projects. Volk said the first challenge systems face is a lack of contractors, which is partly due to labor shortages.

"One of the key factors contributing to the shortage of contractors is labor, which has resulted in a reduction of the number of crews they operate or limits the scope of the work or the range they can cover," Volk said.

He also noted there is a sense that contractors are not as "hungry" as they once were due to the increase in available funding to all infrastructure. Volk said some projects have been postponed due to excessively high bids — or no bids at all — from contractors.

In addition to the lack of contractors, Volk said inflation is taking a toll. Since 2019, the cost of 2-inch class 200 PVC pipe increased 231%, and 6-inch class 200 PVC pipe increased 206%. The availability of necessary materials has also made it difficult for water systems to complete projects. Volk said one system has waited more than a year and a half for a specific valve they need. However, Volk noted that with American manufacturers being required to expand their facilities, the lead times for some materials have improved.

"Overall, the costs of completing projects seem to be ever increasing," Volk said. "It is very hard for our small and rural water systems to properly plan for and to ultimately complete projects under these circumstances."

Next, Volk discussed the technical assistance aspect of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), which aims to help communities access SRF programs that may lack the staff support or knowledge to navigate accessing funds. Volk told the committee it is NRWA's mission to assist rural systems and provide support as they work to comply with regulations and access funding.

Volk also voiced concerns regarding PFAS and rural systems. "The regulatory burdens surrounding PFAS are another challenge facing water systems, which we are extremely supportive of the 'Water Systems PFAS Liability Protection Act' introduced by Senator Lummis," Volk said. "This legislation aligns with the goal shared by small and rural communities across the country to eliminate PFAS from the public's drinking water and environment while preserving the essential 'polluter pays' principle for cleanups under Superfund law."

Furthermore, Volk highlighted the issue of the aging water workforce, citing employment data that indicates an estimated 50% of the workforce will leave the water industry during the next decade. To help combat this issue, NRWA has created a federally registered apprenticeship program to train the next generation of water operators. To date, 36 states are participating in the program and that number is expected to grow.

In conclusion, Volk thanked the committee members for the opportunity to share rural water's perspective as they craft water legislation and policy.

Click here to listen to the full testimony. Volk's testimony begins at the 48:11-minute mark.