Advanced Wastewater Treatment Assistance Act of 2026
- Bill Number
- H.R. 8027
- Origin Chamber
- House
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 2
- Policy Area
- Water Resources Development
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2026-03-20: Referred to the Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment.
- Last Updated
- 2026-06-30T08:06:35Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose
This bill, the Advanced Wastewater Treatment Assistance Act of 2026, aims to fund upgrades to wastewater treatment systems across the U.S. using advanced technologies. It prioritizes helping poorer or underserved areas and requires a study on how well these technologies remove harmful emerging pollutants, like "forever chemicals" (PFAS) and nanomaterials.
Key Provisions
- Grant Program (Section 2):
- The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) creates a program giving grants to every state based on a formula it develops.
- Funding: Authorizes $1 billion for fiscal years 2026–2030.
- Allowed Uses: Grants support "advanced wastewater treatment projects" (EPA-defined upgrades eligible under the Clean Water Act's State Revolving Fund program).
- Administrative Costs: EPA and states can each use up to 1% of funds for overhead.
- Cost Sharing: Projects generally require 50% non-federal funding, but this is waived for "qualified disadvantaged communities" (areas facing financial hardship, as defined in the Clean Water Act).
- Set-Aside: At least 49% of funds must go to projects serving disadvantaged communities, rural/small/tribal publicly owned treatment works (POTWs, or public wastewater plants) that benefit such areas, or regional providers serving multiple disadvantaged areas with over 100,000 people combined.
- Study Requirement (Section 3):
- EPA partners with the National Institute of Standards and Technology to contract the National Academies for a study on how effective advanced wastewater technologies are at capturing emerging contaminants (e.g., PFAS and nanomaterials).
- Timeline: Interim report public within 3 years; final report within 5 years of enactment.
Significant Changes to Existing Law
- Introduces a new dedicated grant program building on the Clean Water Act's existing framework (e.g., sections 502, 603) for wastewater infrastructure.
- Adds specific priorities and set-asides for disadvantaged and rural/tribal communities, plus cost-share waivers not previously emphasized in this way.
- Mandates an independent study on technology efficacy, which is a new research requirement.
Potential Impacts
- Government Agencies: EPA gains new grant administration duties (with limited overhead funding); states get formula-based allocations to distribute.
- Citizens: Improved wastewater treatment could reduce water pollution, protect public health from contaminants, and benefit low-income/rural/tribal areas most via prioritized funding.
- Environment: Potential for better removal of hard-to-treat pollutants like PFAS.
- No direct international effects, but could enhance U.S. water quality standards.
Main Stakeholders
- States and Local Governments: Receive and distribute grants; disadvantaged municipalities and POTWs (public wastewater plants) are prime beneficiaries.
- Rural, Small, and Tribal Communities: Targeted for set-aside funds.
- EPA: Oversees program and study.
- National Academies and NIST: Conduct required research.
- Water Utilities: Eligible for project funding, especially regional providers.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- Legal: Relies on Clean Water Act definitions and eligibility, ensuring compatibility; requires future appropriations to activate funding (authorization alone does not spend money).
- Constitutional: Standard federal spending power under Article I; no apparent free speech, federalism, or due process issues.
- Political: Bipartisan introduction (Democrat and Republican sponsors); emphasizes equity for underserved areas, potentially bridging urban-rural divides in infrastructure policy.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Rep. Stevens, Haley M. [D-MI-11]
Cosponsors (4)
Rep. Fitzpatrick, Brian K. [R-PA-1], Rep. Dingell, Debbie [D-MI-6], Rep. Riley, Josh [D-NY-19], Rep. Pou, Nellie [D-NJ-9]
Recent Actions
- 2026-03-20: Referred to the Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment.
- 2026-03-19: Referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.
- 2026-03-19: Introduced in House
- 2026-03-19: Introduced in House
Bill Versions
- Advanced Wastewater Treatment Assistance Act of 2026 — issued 2026-03-19 — PDF (5 pages)