With an overwhelmingly bipartisan vote of 89-2, the U.S. Senate passed SB 914 yesterday, April 29 to authorize over $35 billion in funding to improve water infrastructure and drinking water safety.
“The Drinking Water and Water Infrastructure Act of 2021” gives the EPA funding for the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund which provides federal grants and loans to states and communities to upgrade aging infrastructure, invest in new technologies, and promote water resource programs.
A focus of the bill is to support traditionally disadvantaged and rural communities which often struggle to adequately fund and maintain water infrastructure. The bill also improves programs to replace lead pipes and stop lead contamination of schools’ water, and creates a program to increase water affordability.
Next steps: the bill will be sent to the U.S. House for consideration.
