Senators introduce bipartisan UPGRADE Act to support small and rural public water systems

Key Takeaways

On December 15, Sens. Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.) and Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) introduced the Unincorporated Partnerships for Grant Resources, Assistance, and Drinking Water Enhancements (UPGRADE) Act (S. 3465), a bipartisan bill that would strengthen federal support for small public water systems and helps unincorporated communities  access clean and affordable water. 

Counties support the UPGRADE Act and applaud Sens. Blunt Rochester and Wicker for their leadership on behalf of rural communities. This legislation ensures that county governments on the front lines of delivering safe drinking water have the resources to maintain and modernize our small and rural public water systems.

What the bill does

The UPGRADE Act would reauthorize the Small, Underserved, and Disadvantaged Communities (SUDC) grant program. Administered by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the SUDC program provides funding for small public water systems to achieve Safe Drinking Water Act (P.L. 93-523) standards through infrastructure projects and technical assistance. The UPGRADE Act also expands eligibility under the SUDC program to include unincorporated communities, helping extend access to investments in clean, safe drinking water to rural residents living outside the jurisdiction of municipal governments. 
In Fiscal Year (FY) 2025, the SUDC program made available $24.9 million in funding to support underserved communities. The bill would reauthorize the program through FY 2031, ensuring that rural communities continue to have access to funding to support drinking water projects. 

BILL ONE-PAGER

County Impacts

NACo endorses the bipartisan UPGRADE Act and advocates for its swift passage to help rural communities access safe, clean drinking water. 

As stewards of local public health, counties strongly support programs that aid achieving water quality goals. Annually, counties invest over $146 billion in our nation’s infrastructure, including our essential water management systems. The UPGRADE Act ensures that small public water systems can support healthy, vibrant rural communities across the country.