Food & Water Watch • 2022 Annual Report
Progress for Clean Air and Affordable Water In 2022, together we: Secured 102 cosponsors
VICTORIES Mary and Kate Fight Water System Privatization
municipalization of water utilities in New York, we saw communities on the North Shore of Long Island reclaim control of their water. Stopped Poseidon Water from building a water desalination plant in Huntington Beach, California after a 10-year- plus campaign. Celebrated the launch of Water for All in Baltimore, Maryland, a comprehensive water affordability program. This victory comes after six years of organizing. Secured $55 billion in federal funds for water infrastructure in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.
Mary and Kate worked together this year to take on a powerful private equity firm trying to buy Pleasantville, New Jersey’s sewer system. Mary leaned on her policy expertise to arm Kate with information that helped the community understand why it should care about who runs its sewer system. Kate relied on tried and true organizing tools to connect with the people of Pleasantville. Through their joint efforts, residents learned how private control of their sewer system would lower water quality, strain their pocketbooks and put them at the mercy of a corporation interested in maximizing profits. The community rallied to demand its sewer system remain public — and won!
for the WATER Act, legislation that would create a $35 billion annual fund to pay for much- needed safety repairs and upgrades to our aging water infrastructure across the country. Defeated attempts by private corporations from taking over public wastewater systems in Bucks County, Pennsylvania and Pleasantville, New Jersey — saving the residents from lower service quality and higher bills. The Bucks County deal would have been the largest in U.S. history. Also, after successfully urging New York Governor Hochul last year to support the
Mary Grant Public Water for All Campaign Director
Kate Delaney Senior Organizer
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