Sponsors (22)
Official title: To establish a low-income water assistance program, and for other purposes.
Introduced April 13, 2026 by Rashida Tlaib · Last progress April 13, 2026
The bill directs large, sustained federal funding and new transparency/administrative requirements to expand and target water affordability assistance—significantly helping low‑income and underserved communities—while increasing federal costs and imposing regulatory and administrative burdens on states, utilities, and some private providers.
Millions of low-income households (renters and homeowners) will receive direct financial assistance (bill discounts, payment plans, lifeline rates, and debt relief) to avoid water shutoffs and reduce unaffordable bills.
The bill creates a sustained federally administered program (EPA) providing large, predictable funding ($20 billion per year, FY2027–2037) to finance affordability programs and related services.
Nationwide data collection, a central public repository, and required state reporting will increase transparency and allow targeting of funds to communities with the greatest water safety, access, and affordability needs.
The large federal commitment ($20 billion per year) will substantially increase federal spending and could raise deficits, pressure taxes, or crowd out other federal priorities.
Extensive new reporting, enrollment, and data requirements will impose administrative and compliance costs on states and small/mid‑size water systems, straining limited staff and budgets and potentially diverting resources from projects.
Demand for broader eligibility and expanded assistance could outpace available funding if appropriations are not sustained, leaving some applicants without help despite increased program eligibility.
Based on analysis of 4 sections of legislative text.
Creates an EPA-run Low-Income Water Assistance Program and requires state transparency, public comment, and EPA reporting on water fund plans and allocations.
Creates a federal Low-Income Water Assistance Program run by the EPA to help eligible low-income households maintain drinking water and sewer service, and strengthens transparency, public participation, and reporting requirements tied to state water pollution control revolving fund Intended Use Plans. The bill defines eligibility, prioritizes Tribal communities, directs EPA rulemaking to standardize state reporting and create a central online repository, and requires state-level public comment, hearings, and published responses for planned fund distributions. The legislation focuses on affordability, data transparency, utility and workforce support, and giving consumers clearer information about costs and assistance options, while adding procedural requirements for states and directing EPA to publish an annual, state-by-state analysis of distributions and allocations using the collected data.