Sponsor
Chris Deluzio
Representative · D-PA
Representative · D-PA
The bill provides targeted federal grants to help municipalities reduce sewer overflows, improve water quality, and advance stormwater reuse, but it increases federal spending, may not meet the full scale of nationwide needs, and could unevenly benefit better-resourced communities.
Local governments and municipalities receive $350 million per year (FY2026–FY2031) to plan and build sewer overflow control and stormwater reuse projects, enabling needed infrastructure upgrades.
Households in funded communities are likely to face fewer combined sewer overflows and better water quality, lowering health risks from contaminated water.
Targeted grants reduce the up-front capital burden on municipalities and ratepayers by covering project costs that otherwise would come from local taxes or utility rates.
Appropriating $350 million annually increases federal spending over FY2026–FY2031 and could add budgetary pressure or require diverting funds from other priorities.
Competitive grant awards may favor better-resourced municipalities, leaving smaller or rural communities with limited capacity to compete and perpetuating infrastructure disparities.
The authorized funding level may be small relative to nationwide sewer and stormwater needs, meaning projects could still be delayed, scaled back, or remain insufficient despite the program.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Authorizes $350 million per year for FY2026–FY2031 for the EPA sewer overflow and stormwater reuse municipal grants program.
Official title: To amend the Federal Water Pollution Control Act to reauthorize sewer overflow and stormwater reuse municipal grants.
Introduced October 10, 2025 by Chris Deluzio · Last progress October 10, 2025
Provides dedicated, multi-year funding for the EPA’s sewer overflow and stormwater reuse municipal grants program by authorizing $350 million per year for fiscal years 2026–2031. The money supports grants to states and direct municipal grants to reduce sewer overflows and promote stormwater reuse. The change simply sets a fixed annual authorization level for the program through 2031 to support water infrastructure projects addressing combined sewer overflows, sanitary sewer overflows, and stormwater management and reuse.