Katko eyes federal research agency that could benefit Auburn company – Auburn Citizen

Katko, R-Camillus, introduced a bill that would establish the Advanced Research Projects Agency-Water within the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The agency, known as ARPA-H2O for short, would support research and development to improve technology for water treatment and other water-related systems. 

The bill has a Democratic cosponsor, Michigan U.S. Rep. Dan Kildee. 

“Aging water infrastructure poses a serious threat to our drinking water and as a member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, I have been a leader on water quality efforts — passing bipartisan legislation to bring our water infrastructure into the 21st century and working to increase funds for the Drinking Water and Clean Water State Revolving Fund programs,” Katko said. 

The proposed agency, Katko continued, would develop technology to improve water treatment, modernize water management systems and cut costs for local governments and ratepayers. 

According to Katko, the agency would benefit Xylem, a water technology company that has a plant in Auburn. The company’s product line includes equipment for hydropower and wastewater treatment. 

Joseph Vesey, Xylem’s senior vice president and chief marketing officer, said the bill would “enrich the development and application of advanced water technologies to address the issues of water delivery, wastewater transport and treatment and water reuse.”

“The ARPA-H2O Act of 2020 will directly support technology development such as remote sensors, smart metering, network technologies, advanced infrastructure analytics and analytic instrumentation to ensure safe drinking water and a clean environment, while also bolstering local and regional economies,” Vesey said. 

The legislation is supported by a handful of groups, including the Association of Metropolitan Water Agencies, Bipartisan Policy Center, Water Environment Federation, The Water Research Foundation and WateReuse Association. 

The bill has been referred to the House Science, Space and Technology Committee, according to Congress.gov.