Two water sector groups are urging Congress to pass a final, bipartisan water infrastructure package to help close the federal investment gap for water, wastewater and stormwater systems.
In early October, the Association of Metropolitan Water Agencies (AMWA) and the National Association of Clean Water Agencies (NACWA) sent a letter to leadership of the Senate Committee on Environment and Pubic Works (EPW) and the House Committees on Energy and Commerce and Transportation and Infrastructure.
According to AMWA’s Oct. 12 Monday Morning Briefing, the associations encouraged Congress to act before the end of the 119th Congress.
Specifically, AMWA called on funding levels to be maintained at the levels outlined in the Water Resources Development Act of 2026 (WRDA), which was approved by the Senate EPW Committee in July.
Under WRDA, the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund would be reauthorized at 16.5 billion for fiscal years 2027 through 2030: $3.75 billion for fiscal year 2027, $4 billion for fiscal year 2028, $4.25 billion for fiscal year 2029, and $4.5 billion for fiscal year 2030. The WRDA package advanced by EPW would also reauthorize the Clean Water State Revolving Fund at a four-year total of 14 billion: $3.5 billion for each of fiscal years 2027 through 2030.
According to EPA, the Drinking Water and Clean Water SRF programs have provided more than $265 billion to support 76,000 projects since their creation.
Water sector applauds efforts on WRDA, SRF reauthorization
The groups also called for the reauthorization of other programs, including WIFIA, sewer overflow and stormwater reuse grants, drinking water resilience programs, lead service line replacement programs and watershed and water supply programs.
The WRDA package advanced by EPW would see the Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (WIFIA) program receive $260 million in reauthorization funds. Additional priorities noted by AMWA and NACWA included funding for lead service line replacement, emerging contaminants and expanding cybersecurity resources.
AMWA said it would continue to engage with federal lawmakers to push for legislation to reauthorize these critical water programs and appropriations “before the end of the year.”
Sources: AMWA, NACWA, EPA
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