Last week, AMWA led a coalition of six national water and wastewater organizations in writing to Congress to request for full funding of key EPA water infrastructure funding programs next year.
In a letter to the respective leaders of the House and Senate Appropriations Committees, AMWA and the other organizations recognized the landmark investments made by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, but cited EPA’s estimated $900 billion in drinking water and wastewater infrastructure investment need over the coming decades to justify higher funding for the agency’s water infrastructure programs. Desired funding levels called out in the letter included:
- $3.25 billion each for the Drinking Water and Clean Water State Revolving Fund (SRF) programs;
- $80 million for the Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (WIFIA) program;
- $100 million for Reducing Lead in Drinking Water grants; and
- $50 million for the Midsize and Large Drinking Water System Infrastructure Resilience and Sustainability Program.
AMWA’s letter comes against the backdrop of what is anticipated to be a tight budget environment in FY25. Total domestic discretionary spending next year will be constrained by the terms of the Fiscal Responsibility Act, which will keep overall spending close to FY24 levels. Meanwhile President Biden’s $11 billion request for EPA fell short of seeking full funding for the SRFs and other water infrastructure programs – suggesting that the administration will be satisfied with simply holding the line. EPA Administrator Michael Regan began defending the President’s budget before Congress last week, and reiterated the administration’s request of $2.4 billion in total for the SRFs, alongside $80 million for WIFIA and $334 million for a variety of water infrastructure grant programs.
The Administrator will be back on Capitol Hill on Wednesday to testify on the budget before the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee.
AMWA will continue to engage with lawmakers in the months ahead to encourage the highest funding possible for water infrastructure programs, but that messaging will need to be amplified by individual water system outreach to their members of Congress. If your utility is willing to write to or meet with lawmakers on the importance of federal water infrastructure funding, please contact AMWA’s Bebe Schaefer to coordinate.