HARRISBURG, May 12, 2008 - - State Sen. Jim Ferlo (D-Pittsburgh) today announced that Governor Rendell’s Sustainable Water Infrastructure Task Force will hold a local public meeting to gather ideas on how to address aging and deteriorating water systems across the state.

The meeting will take place on Monday, May 19 from 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. in the University Center (Building 28) Connan Room at Carnegie Mellon University, 500 Forbes Ave., Pittsburgh.

“It is essential that the state takes steps to ensure our drinking water and wastewater treatment systems are reliable and up-to-date,” Ferlo said.  “We need to hear what concerns and issues the citizens of Pennsylvania have, and take them into consideration when the task force makes recommendations to the Governor.”

Ferlo, one of 30 members of the task force, said that there will be 8 public meetings throughout the state in the month of May.

According to a federal Clean Water Needs Survey, Pennsylvania is facing nearly $11 billion in unmet drinking water infrastructure needs and at least $7.2 billion in unmet wastewater infrastructure needs.

Governor Rendell created the task force with Executive Order 2008-02 and charged members with developing a report by Oct. 1 that provides recommendations and financing options that may support water-related services in the Governor's fiscal year 2009-10 budget proposal.

For more information about the task force, visit www.depweb.state.pa.us/watermgmt/site/default.asp.

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