LOUISVILLE, KY – Louisville MSD Executive Director Tony Parrott joined other water industry leaders in Washington this morning to urge increased federal funding for infrastructure improvement and helping
low-income customers pay their water bills.
Parrott was part of a Beyond the Faucet panel discussion during the Annual Legislative Conference of the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center. The panel was subtitled, Water Utilities as Champions of Economic Opportunity and Affordable Access.
He told the group, “By sharing insights and best practices, we aim to provide strategies to build more equitable and resilient communities. Together, we can pave the way for a future where clean and affordable water is accessible to all.”
Panel members called for renewed funding for the Low-Income Household Water Assistance Program (LIWHAP) that helped pay water bills at the height of the covid-19 pandemic. They also advocated for the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law that infused billions of dollars into utility and other public infrastructure projects to spur economic activity and make needed improvements during the covid downturn.
The session was moderated by Kishia Powell, General Manager of Washington’s WSSC Water. “LIHWAP not only supported families in keeping their water services during challenging times, but also allowed water sector utilities to keep paying wages, keep providing essential services, and just as important continuing infrastructure investment to protect the economic output of our communities,” Powell said.
