LINCOLN- A plethora of water woes were presented to the Legislature's Appropriations Committee on Wednesday during a hearing for Sen. Hansen's LB672, which would set up a $30 million revolving loan funds through the Nebraska Department of Environment and Energy to help communities expand and update their water systems. If passed, over 50% of the loan could be forgiven.

Some of the concerns aired by city and town officials, as well as citizens, included lead in old Omaha service pipes, high nitrate levels in rural community wells, and not enough water flowing toward Blair's expansive biotech campus. Blair Public Works Director Al Shoemaker testified in support of the stimulus funding, saying that, by expanding the town's water system, they could keep business inside of Blair. "We need to keep our water rates as competitive as possible," Shoemaker told the Committee.

Sen. McDonnell introduced LB613 as well on Monday, a bill that would transfer $45 million from the state's cash reserve to help owners of old homes, mostly in Omaha, update their house's piping systems and remove leaded pipes. Metropolitan Utilities District Officials said that the current lead pipe replacement program is only reaching around 200 homes a year, and that LB613 would significantly increase this number.

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