Matheson Water Conservation Bill Passes House

Aug 01, 2008 by Jeff Robinson

(KCPW News) A water conservation bill that Congressman Jim Matheson believes will benefit the entire nation passed the House this week. Matheson says the Water Use Efficiency and Conservation Research Act, which he introduced in October, will fund new conservation technology and create a mechanism for that technology to be shared between the states.

"In addition to providing that funding to encourage research, it also sets up a mechanism for technology transfer to take place," the congressman said. "And what I mean by that is, if somebody in Georgia comes up with a way to save water, and someone in Murray, Utah comes up with a way to save water, we're going to create a clearinghouse where all those ideas can be shared so we can all learn from these new ideas and new technologies."

The bill appropriates $100 million for the Environmental Protection Agency over the next five years.

Matheson says with 36 states facing a water shortage, the arid state of Utah might have ideas to share as other regions come to face the same water issues that we do.

"The benefits of trying to be really efficient with how water's utilized do not just apply to dry, arid states of the West. They apply across the country. Perhaps Utahns have some really good ideas to share with others because we've lived in a dry state for so long," he said.

The bill specifically calls for the EPA to address the treatment of rain water and waste water, along with how to overcome the social and economic barriers to water conservation.

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