WASHINGTON, DC, SEPT 18, 2018 -- The House of Representatives unanimously approved a significant water policy bill that includes a number of industry priorities on drinking water and other provisions impacting water infrastructure funding. America's Water Infrastructure Act, bill S. 3021, combines two versions of Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) legislation with a Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) reform bill.
According to The Hill, America's Water Infrastructure Act includes a three-year, $4.424 billion reauthorization of the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF). The bill also extends loan repayment periods from 20 to 30 years (40 years for disadvantaged communities).
Also included is a two-year, $100 million reauthorization of EPA's Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (WIFIA) program, while eliminating its status as a "pilot" program.
The bill also includes a two-year, $8 million authorization for a new EPA Drinking Water System Infrastructure Resilience and Sustainability program that will provide grants for small or disadvantaged communities to protect their drinking water infrastructure from floods and hurricanes.
Additionally, S. 3021 authorizes two new EPA grant programs to reduce lead in schools and a third to promote water sector workforce development. Full text of the bill can be found here.
