In FY 2010, the US government allocated $315 million for water and sanitation to implement the Paul Simon Water for the Poor Act (WPA). This shows a steady increase from $200 million in 2006 and $300 in 2008. Congress has continued to set aside funding for water and sanitation to implement the Water for the Poor Act in each subsequent year since the WPA was enacted.
MWA has joined other sector advocates to support an “ask” for FY 2011 that is $500 million. This is the minimum required to continue to meaningfully implement the Senator Paul Simon Water for the Poor Act (P.L. No. 109-121) , and to work partially towards the goal stated by Congress therein to “reduce by on-half from the baseline year 1990 the proportion of people who are unable to reach or afford safe drinking water and the proportion of people without access to basic sanitation by 2015.” This amount would cover the cost of bringing adequate water and basic sanitation to approximately 5% of the total number of people annually needing access to reach the relevant Millennium Development Goal. The UN estimates that worldwide water and sanitation access goals could be met with an additional annual global investment of approximately $10 billion, making the US fair share in FY 2011 $2.3 billion (based on the 2008 US share of global GDP at 23%). USAID has indicated the capacity to program approximately $1.5 billion in FY 2011, which would result in 15 million vulnerable people in high-priority countries gaining access to safe, affordable, and sustainable supplies of water, adequate sanitation, and hygiene training. To accommodate increases for water and sanitation funding, a corresponding increase in the overall Development Assistance account is necessary.
Obama’s Inauguration Speech was a signal
Statements he made on the Right to Water during the campaign were also signals
The Obama Administration also inherited the Water for the Poor Act
Our Paul Simon didn’t write Bridge Over Troubled Water, Cecilia or Mrs. Robinson, but Senator Paul Simon did write the 2006 Water for the Poor Act, and we consider that a Greatest Hit.
