WQA backs Senate drinking water bill with point-of-use treatment pilot
The Water Quality Association (WQA) is supporting bipartisan legislation advancing in the U.S. Senate that would reauthorize key federal drinking water and wastewater infrastructure programs while creating a pilot program for point-of-use (POU) water treatment technologies.
The Senate Environment and Public Works Committee unanimously approved the Drinking Water and Wastewater Infrastructure Act of 2026 on July 15. The legislation reauthorizes drinking water and wastewater investment programs under the Safe Drinking Water Act and Clean Water Act and includes a new pilot authority allowing certified POU treatment technologies to help address drinking water challenges in communities.
WQA said the pilot program could demonstrate how certified treatment systems can complement traditional infrastructure improvements by providing more immediate access to safe drinking water, particularly in communities facing contaminants such as lead and PFAS.
"Certified water treatment technologies are already helping millions of Americans reduce exposure to contaminants such as lead and PFAS," said Richard Mest, WQA's strategic affairs officer, in a press release. "This pilot will help demonstrate how these solutions can complement traditional infrastructure investments and deliver safe drinking water more quickly in communities facing urgent challenges."
The association also praised the introduction of the Healthy H2O Act as part of the Senate Agriculture Committee's Agriculture Act of 2026. The proposal would establish a U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development grant program to help households served by private wells and small community water systems, as well as licensed childcare facilities, test and treat their drinking water.
According to WQA, the Healthy H2O Act has support from more than 40 organizations, including the Rural Community Assistance Partnership, National Ground Water Association and Water Systems Council. A version of the legislation was also included in the Farm Bill previously approved by the House of Representatives.
The Senate legislation follows recent bipartisan action by the EPW Committee to advance the Water Resources Development Act of 2026, continuing congressional efforts to reauthorize federal water infrastructure programs and expand access to funding for drinking water and wastewater improvements.