This month, as Members of Congress left Washington, D.C. for the campaign trail, they did so after moving key legislation forward and laying the groundwork for continued negotiations on reauthorization of water infrastructure programs.
Before adjourning for recess, the House overwhelmingly passed the Water Resources Development Act (H.R. 9497) by a broad bipartisan vote of 415-9. The legislation, which Congress typically passes on a biennial basis, authorizes flood control, navigation and ecosystem restoration projects under the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
While the Senate companion bill passed the Environment and Public Works Committee in July, it has not yet come up for a vote on the Floor. House passage of the water resources bill is an important step in the negotiation process to ensure a final bill from Congress by the end of the year.
Entwined with Congressional water resources legislation is the need to reauthorize water infrastructure financing and funding programs under the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The current authorization (PDF) of key programs ends on Sept. 30, and Congress has advanced legislation to ensure communities continue to have access to federal funding to support their drinking water, wastewater and stormwater infrastructure needs.
Earlier in September, the House Energy and Commerce Committee, which has authority over drinking water programs, held a hearing on draft legislation to reauthorize programs under the Safe Drinking Water Act, including the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (SRF). While some of the Committee’s authorization levels are higher than what the Senate has proposed, other programs, like the Drinking Water SRF, are proposed to be significantly cut.
The House Energy and Commerce draft authorization levels are:
- Drinking Water State Revolving Fund: $1.126 billion (FY27-31) — while this is in line with the current annual appropriations amount, it would signify a steep cut to the current authorization level. The Senate proposes increasing the authorization annually starting with $3.75 billion in FY27 to $4.5 billion in FY30.
- Safe Water for Small and Disadvantaged Communities grants: $140 million (FY27-31) — same as Senate.
- Drinking Water Infrastructure Resilience and Sustainability grants: $25 million (FY27-31) — same as Senate.
- Reducing Lead in Drinking Water: $100 million (FY27-31) — same as Senate.
- Operational Sustainability of Small Public Water Systems: $25 million (FY27-31) — lower than Senate level and a cut compared to current authorization.
- Midsize and Large Drinking Water System Infrastructure Resilience and Sustainability: $50 million (FY27-31) — higher than Senate level; same as current authorization.
- Voluntary School and Child Care Lead Testing and Reduction grants: $60 million (FY27-31) — higher than Senate level and an increase compared to current authorization.
- Innovative Water Infrastructure Workforce Development Program: $8 million (FY27-31) — lower than Senate amount, but both chambers propose an increase compared to current authorization.
Review a detailed breakdown of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee’s reauthorization legislation of drinking water and wastewater programs.
NLC joined a coalition letter (PDF) to Congressional leaders urging robust funding for water infrastructure programs and enactment of authorization levels at the highest level proposed in legislation from either the House or Senate.
Next Steps and Take Action
While the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, which has jurisdiction over wastewater programs, has not released reauthorization legislation, Committee leaders have begun negotiations with the Senate on both the water resources legislation and reauthorization levels.
NLC continues to advocate for enactment of both water infrastructure priorities before the end of the year. With Congress in recess until after the election, there is still time for local leaders to weigh in with their Members of Congress and to shape the final bills, particularly as it relates to authorization levels for the EPA water infrastructure programs.
Here are three steps to take:
- Local leaders that have Members of Congress on the Energy and Commerce Committee, Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and/or Environment and Public Works, are encouraged to reach out to them on infrastructure reauthorization.
- All local leaders can let their Members of Congress know the water infrastructure programs that are important to their community.
- Since reauthorization is just the first step toward securing annual appropriations funding, local leaders should also ask their Members of Congress to fund critical drinking water, wastewater and stormwater programs for communities in FY27.
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