After several meetings by American Supply
Association President Joe Poehling with members of Congress, on April 2 a key
ASA initiative was introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives by
Congressman Mike Coffman (R-CO) and Congressman Ron Kind (D-WI). The Bill is
H.R. 1908, the Water Accountability Tax Efficiency Reinvestment Act of 2009, or
W.A.T.E.R for short. Shortages of water
have become an increasing dilemma for many communities struggling with drought
conditions. Congress is recognizing that conservation is one key component to
preserving our nation’s liquid assets.
The bill will provide tax credits to
residential and commercial property owners who install water conserving
products. In its current form, the bill
allows for a tax credit of up to $1,500 on fixtures purchased by December 31,
2010, that display the EPA WaterSense logo. ASA is seeking to broaden the
credit on large commercial and multi-unit facilities as well as extending the
date beyond the 2010 deadline. The EPA estimates that if a family of 4 installs
WaterSense faucets and toilets, they could save 17,000 gallons of water each
year
ASA is working on gaining a Senate
sponsor.
“This is the first time that ASA has been
responsible for introducing legislation that can benefit our industry. The idea
came out of a meeting that ASA President Joe Poehling had with his Congressman,
Ron Kind,” said ASA Executive Vice President Mike Adelizzi. “We had talked
about the residential energy tax credit and how it will impact energy use in
the country. We pushed the idea about conserving our nation’s water resources
by implementing the same type of credit on water conserving products as well. Today,
we have an ASA-backed bill that makes sense and can benefit our industry during
a tough time, and beyond,” Adelizzi concluded.
“This legislation will help conserve one
of our most precious resources by providing a tax incentive to reward water
conservation. Water conservation must be a key component of an overall strategy
for meeting the increased demands for water across our country,” said U.S. Rep.
Mike Coffman (R-Colorado).
“Americans today use 300 percent more
water each day than they did 50 years ago, putting tremendous strain on our
water supply and environment,” said U.S. Rep. Ron Kind (D-Wisconsin). “The 2009
Water Accountability Tax Efficiency Reinvestment Act seeks to ease that stress
by giving individuals and businesses the incentive to conserve water and lead a
greener lifestyle. Supporting this legislation means we are taking the
necessary steps to protect our environment for future generations. I am pleased
to be part of it.”
For more information on ASA’s other
legislative initiatives, please visit the Advocacy section of
www.asa.net.
