Senate passes water infrastructure package

WASHINGTON -- In late April, the U.S. Senate passed the Drinking Water and Wastewater Infrastructure Act of 2021. The bill includes language to reauthorize several core federal  funding programs for water infrastructure, and includes severatl new programs to address the nation's infrastructure challenges.

Among the programs the bill seeks to reauthorize are the Clean Water State Revolving Fund (SRF), which would be awarded $14.65 billion over the next five years; and the Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act, wawarded $250 million over the next five years. Additionally, a greater percentage of loans could be forgiven under the new bill. 

The bill also includes a drinking water section that reauthorizes the Drinking Water SRF at levels equal to the Clean Water SRF, reauthorizes a drinking water resilience grant program, lead service line and lead in schools grants, PFAS treatment grants, and several other drinking water sustainability grant programs. 

Several new programs would be established under the bill, including a new EPA program to provide 40 grants per year to utilities to assist low-income ratepayers under the Rural and Low-Income Water Assistance Pilot Program. 

Note: This piece was compiled with information provided by the Water Environment Federation.