Upgrades would be federally funded to improve the resiliency of drinking water, wastewater, and stormwater infrastructure under bipartisan legislation recently introduced by U.S. Reps. David Valadao (R-CA) and Brian Mast (R-FL).
“In the Central Valley, clean and reliable water is critical to our farms, families, and small businesses, but aging infrastructure, extreme weather, and even cyberthreats put our water systems at risk,” Rep. Valadao said. “This bipartisan bill reauthorizes critical programs to increase our resiliency and ensure our utilities have the necessary resources to continue operations, and I’m proud to join my colleagues in support.”
Rep. Valadao and Rep. Mast cosponsored the Water Infrastructure Resilience and Sustainability Act, H.R. 5566, alongside bill sponsor U.S. Rep. Salud Carbajal (D-CA), on Sept. 26. If enacted into law, it would amend the Federal Water Pollution Control Act and the Safe Drinking Water Act to reauthorize certain programs for water infrastructure resilience and sustainability, according to the text of the bill.
“The Water Infrastructure Resilience and Sustainability Act is a crucial step in ensuring that our drinking water and wastewater utilities have the needed resources to tackle natural disasters and potential cybersecurity risks,” said Rep. Mast. “This legislation is long overdue, as our aging water systems risk both economic and environmental consequences if not addressed.”
H.R. 5566 would reauthorize three water infrastructure resilience programs from fiscal year 2027 to FY 2031 at current authorization levels: the Drinking Water System Infrastructure Resilience and Sustainability Program at $25 million; the Midsize and Large Drinking Water System Infrastructure Resilience and Sustainability Program at $50 million per year; and the Clean Water Infrastructure Resiliency and Sustainability Program at $25 million per year.
“It goes without saying that safe, reliable water infrastructure is essential for everyone’s well-being,” said Rep. Carbajal. “However, the systems that deliver our drinking water and flush out wastewater are vulnerable to a multitude of threats. This bipartisan bill is a bold investment in securing our water infrastructure to ensure it remains functional for years to come.”
The National Municipal Stormwater Alliance, the Association of Metropolitan Water Agencies, the National Association of Clean Water Agencies, and the American Rivers Action Fund support H.R. 5566.