For almost a century, the United States has been collecting and processing
data about the state of the nation’s surface water. Lakes, rivers, streams,
and ponds are observed, measured and sampled to check for water quality,
contamination and water levels. From this data, a fairly robust picture of the
nation’s surface water can be had. Satellite imagery has made this task more
efficient enabling seasonal changes in water levels to be observed on a grand
scale. Without diminishing the value of these efforts, one critical area of water
monitoring has been left behind.

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American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, ‘09 - H2bid’s Overview

A great deal of publicity has been focused on the American Recovery and
Reinvestment Act of 2009 or the “Stimulus” bill as it is more popularly known.
Chief among its priorities, the stimulus was aimed at jump starting an economic
recovery in the United States; similar to other government efforts worldwide,
the plan aimed to begin work on a number of domestic initiatives that could put
large numbers of people to work. Among the spending priorities was water and
sewer infrastructure. This article will examine the funding allocated in the stimulus
plan targeted at water and sewer system upgrades, repairs and new construction,
seeking to understand how much of the total program will go toward these projects,
when it is likely to be spent and how.

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