Fifty years ago this October, Congress passed legislation that set the precedent for protecting the nation’s water — the Clean Water Act. This law also dramatically increased funding to build and improve our wastewater systems.
But since then, federal funding for water infrastructure has been slashed. Our outdated and aging water systems are dumping billions of gallons of raw sewage into our waterways, flooding streets and neighborhoods, and contaminating our drinking water. And climate change is making the situation worse.
In order to protect people's health and the environment, we need dedicated support for our aging drinking water and wastewater systems. But federal funding is falling far short of what's needed to upgrade and improve our water systems and protect communities. The bipartisan infrastructure law of 2021 provided less than a tenth of the funding that our water systems need. It’s time to restore the federal government’s commitment to protecting clean water for every community. Join us in organizing to pass the WATER Act.
The WATER Act is the only permanent solution to our nation’s water funding woes, by providing $35 billion each year to restore our public water infrastructure. It will also provide:
$15.7 billion a year to the Clean Water State Revolving Fund to pay for publicly owned wastewater system upgrades, with at least half of the funding prioritized as grants or additional subsidization to disadvantaged communities
$871 million a year to help update and install household septic systems and other on-site sewage disposal systems
$871 million a year for non-point-source management programs to stop pollution and protect our watersheds
$523 million a year for pollution control programs
$174 million a year for technical assistance to rural, small, or Indigenous wastewater system providers
Without dedicated funding to upgrade and maintain our water systems, many communities lack the resources to keep their water clean and safe. Food & Water Watch is fighting to protect everyone's drinking water, and that starts with passing the WATER Act.
Food & Water Watch and its affiliated organization, Food & Water Action, are advocacy groups with a common mission to protect our food, water and climate.
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