Sponsors (6)
Creates a targeted, ongoing federal program to reduce nitrate and arsenic in drinking water—prioritizing low-income households and child-serving facilities—but funding is modest, administrative caps may limit effective implementation, and it adds a recurring federal cost.
Water systems and state/tribal governments gain a new, ongoing federal program ($15M per year) with application requirements to identify contaminant sources and demonstrate how projects will reduce nitrate/arsenic, improving coordination and targeting of public-health investments.
Low-income and disadvantaged households (especially in rural areas) can receive funding to install point-of-use or treatment systems that lower nitrate or arsenic in their drinking water, directly reducing exposure risks.
Schools, daycares, and other child- and vulnerable-population-serving facilities are prioritized for projects addressing contaminated drinking water, helping protect children and other high-risk groups.
The program’s funding level is limited and likely insufficient to address all contaminated systems, so many rural and low-income communities may still lack needed treatment or remediation.
A 4% administrative cap on program funds could constrain EPA and state implementation, slowing rollout, oversight, or technical assistance and reducing program effectiveness.
Taxpayers will finance a new recurring $15 million annual program without identified offsets, increasing federal spending obligations.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Authorizes an EPA competitive grant program to fund projects that remove nitrate and arsenic from drinking water, prioritizing disadvantaged communities and child-serving facilities.
Official title: To amend the Safe Drinking Water Act to provide grants for nitrate and arsenic reduction projects, and for other purposes.
Introduced April 3, 2025 by Norma Judith Torres · Last progress April 3, 2025
Creates a new EPA competitive grant program to fund projects that reduce nitrate and arsenic in drinking water, with priority for disadvantaged communities, schools, daycares, and facilities serving children or other vulnerable populations. The program funds purchase and installation of treatment technologies, requires recipients to identify contamination sources and reduction plans, caps administrative costs at 4%, and authorizes $15 million annually beginning FY2026.