Political Quotes

“I wish to discuss a specific provision in the Water Resources Development Act of 1996 which addresses the Washington Aqueduct--the public water system for the Metropolitan Washington area that is owned by the Federal Government and administered by the Corps of Engineers. As my colleagues may recall, the conditions at the Washington Aqueduct gained national attention when the Environmental Protection Agency issued a boil-water order in December 1993 for the Metropolitan Washington region. There was significant concern that the water supply for the Nation's Capital was contaminated. Thankfully, extensive testing conducted by the EPA and independent authorities concluded equipment failure followed by human error affected the results of the water quality testing. While, there was no contamination, it was a loud wake-up call for the region. I commend the Environmental Protection Agency for their precautionary steps and quick response to this situation. This incident brought to light the significant capital improvements that are needed at the facility to meet current Federal drinking water standards.”