Water Utilities Face Rising Costs as Government Cuts Support

Water utilities are facing the prospect of diminishing federal support for infrastructure upgrades during the funding-related “turbulence” of the Trump administration, utility groups said Thursday.

Some utilities expect to become mostly self-funded in the wake of the administration’s effort to shrink the federal government and reduce local assistance for water system upgrades.

Federal funding is “great when it’s available, but it’s not going to save us,” said Jessica Brody, general counsel for Denver Water, speaking at American Water Works Association Roundtable in Washington. “Ultimately, our customers are going to bear the brunt of these costs.”

Federal agencies are cutting their ...