Dear Chairs Collins and Cole, Vice Chair Murray, and Ranking Member DeLauro:
The undersigned organizations, representing businesses, NGOs, local government, and other water stakeholders, strongly urge you to provide meaningful funding for several important water infrastructure priorities and programs as you consider the FY 2026 Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations legislation. Water is integral to sectors across the economy (e.g., energy, food, health, manufacturing, and technologies). Economic growth and competitiveness depend on ensuring appropriate supplies of water fit for purpose for our companies and communities, and the quality of life of the citizens that live there.
Our organizations recommend continued and sufficient funding for the Clean Water and Drinking Water State Revolving Funds, the Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act, as well as the suite of issue-specific water infrastructure and hydrologic data collection programs of the Department of Interior and EPA, which address such challenges as lead and PFAS issues, water system cybersecurity and resilience, water reuse and efficiency, and more. Such funding is necessary to support economic growth, protect public health, and adequately tackle the increasing development of artificial intelligence, data centers, and other water-reliant sectors. Funding reductions, however, could result in potential disruptions in service for “(these key) industries, costing more than $287 billion by 2043.”[1]
The following are issue areas and programs for your consideration:
- Emerging contaminants and lead. Providing authorized funding levels to address emerging contaminants, such as PFAS, lead in schools, and lead service line replacement efforts (e.g., Reducing Lead in Drinking Water Grants).
- Funding and financing tools. Increasing the tools for community water infrastructure funding and financing, including by raising the cap on private activity bonds and maintaining the tax-exempt status for municipal bonds.
- Resilience. Promoting resilience, cybersecurity, and sustainability for water and wastewater systems, including through EPA’s Midsize and Large Drinking Water System Infrastructure Resilience and Sustainability Program, supporting ecosystem-based solutions, and leveraging public-private partnerships. Maintaining funding for hydrologic monitoring and data collection through the USGS Federal Priority Stream Gauge Program, deployment of USGS ‘super’ gauges throughout river basins to monitor nutrient loading, resilience, and wildfire programs at the U.S. Forest Service, water prediction services at NOAA, WaterSense for water conservation at EPA, and important funding for the Land and Water Conservation Fund.
- Technical assistance. Adding the U.S. Chamber Small and Disadvantaged Community Water Funding Roadmap[2] to EPA’s current technical assistance tools and programs. Supporting the EPA Environmental Programs and Management: National Priorities account to fund technical and regulatory compliance assistance to small communities for drinking water and clean water activities. Providing funding for the Technical Assistance for Wastewater Treatment Works account for assistance with the planning, development, and acquisition of financing for treatment works facilities, as well as management of existing treatment works.
- Technology innovation. Establishing an advanced technology grant program, a decentralized wastewater treatment program, and a pilot for waste-to-energy solutions to drive innovation, lower costs, and improve efficiency. Prioritizing digital and intelligent water solutions to help improve efficiency, conservation, and compliance assistance and monitoring.
- Water reuse. Fostering more water reuse and recycling, especially for businesses, to assist water scarce regions effectively conserve and manage water, while enabling economic growth. Funding for the Pilot Program for Alternative Water Source Grants (Section 220 of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act). Supporting the Water Reuse Interagency Working Group to integrate approaches to public and industrial water recycling.
We again urge your support for important water and resilience funding in the FY26 appropriations and will follow up with you and your staff to answer any questions you may have. Thank you for your leadership.
Sincerely,
American Chemistry Council
American Council of Engineering Companies
American Society of Civil Engineers
American Water Works Association
Association of Metropolitan Water Agencies
Clean Water Construction Coalition
International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials
Interstate Council on Water Policy
National Association of Clean Water Agencies
National Association of Counties
National Association of Manufacturers
National Association of Water Companies
National League of Cities
Protect Kids from Lead
Rural Community Assistance Partnership
The Nature Conservancy
Water Environment Federation
Water and Wastewater Equipment Manufacturers Association
Water Quality Association
WateReuse Association
U.S. Chamber of Commerce
U.S. Conference of Mayors
U.S. Water Partnership
cc: Members of the Senate Committee on Appropriations Members of the House Committee on Appropriations
[1]https://uswateralliance.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Bridging-the-Gap_-The-Power-of-Investment-in-Water-Fact-Sheet.pdf
[2]https://www.uschamber.com/assets/documents/Small-and-Disadvantaged-Community-Water-Funding-Roadmap-_Final.pdf
