On March 24, 2021, the U.S. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works unanimously advanced S. 914, the Drinking Water and Wastewater Infrastructure Act of 2021 (DWWIA). DWWIA currently has twelve bipartisan cosponsors and includes $35 billion in funding for water development projects across the country with a focus on upgrading aging infrastructure, addressing the threat of climate change, investing in new technologies, and aiding marginalized communities. The programs in the bill are authorized at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

On March 23, 2021, NACo sent a joint letter with the National League of Cities and the U.S. Conference of Mayors supporting this legislation.

With broad bipartisan support, we expect this bill to pass the Senate this year. With President Biden’s recent announcement of his American Jobs Plan, we expect Congress to use DWWIA as a framework for the water infrastructure title of the bill that Congress uses to try and pass the American Jobs Plan. The House introduced similar legislation to address our nation’s water infrastructure needs.

This analysis highlights key provisions for county governments.