Big win for drinking water resilience in budget request

March 2019

The Trump administration’s FY20 budget request would provide first-ever appropriations for a number of drinking water and wastewater infrastructure programs that Congress authorized last year through America’s Water Infrastructure Act (AWIA). Altogether, the request would seek a total of $92.8 million to fund new AWIA initiatives.

Among the AWIA winners in the president’s budget is EPA’s new Drinking Water System Infrastructure Resilience and Sustainability program. Authorized by AWIA and based on legislation drafted with the assistance of AMWA, the program would offer grants to help small or disadvantaged communities prepare their drinking water infrastructure for threats like floods, hurricanes, and hydrologic changes. Trump’s budget would provide the program with a small but meaningful appropriation of $2 million next year.