Sponsors
The bill directs dedicated federal funds to help localities reduce sewer overflows, conserve water, and avoid local rate increases, but it creates new federal spending that may be insufficient to meet nationwide needs and may be distributed unevenly, leaving some communities behind.
Local governments (and the communities they serve) receive dedicated federal grants—$350 million per year from FY2026–FY2031—to plan and build sewer overflow control and stormwater reuse projects, enabling infrastructure upgrades that localities might not otherwise afford.
Households in impacted communities face fewer combined sewer overflows and improved water quality, reducing exposure to contaminated water and associated public-health risks.
Communities benefit from increased water conservation and more resilient local water supplies through federal support for stormwater capture and reuse projects.
The program increases federal spending by $350 million annually (FY2026–FY2031), adding to budgetary pressures and potentially requiring trade-offs with other federal priorities.
If the annual appropriation is small relative to the nationwide need for sewer and stormwater upgrades, many projects may be delayed, scaled back, or remain unfunded despite authorization.
Communities that lack capacity to compete for competitive grants—often small or rural jurisdictions—may receive little benefit, perpetuating disparities in infrastructure and environmental health outcomes.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Authorizes $350 million per year for FY2026–FY2031 for EPA sewer overflow and stormwater reuse municipal grants (total $2.1B authorized).
Introduced October 10, 2025 by Chris Deluzio · Last progress October 10, 2025
Authorizes $350 million per year for fiscal years 2026 through 2031 to fund the EPA’s sewer overflow and stormwater reuse municipal grants program. The change amends existing law to set a specific annual authorization level for grants that help municipalities reduce sewer overflows and support stormwater reuse projects. The authorization covers both EPA-administered state grants and direct municipal grants under the relevant clean water program and totals $2.1 billion in authorized funding across the six-year period (FY2026–FY2031). It is an authorization of appropriations, not a direct appropriation.