$1.9 trln COVID stimulus to include water funding

The US water sector stands to benefit from provisions in the mammoth $1.9 trillion COVID-19 stimulus bill which was approved in Congress this week.

While much of the funding is designed as economic relief for individuals and businesses, the bill includes $350 billion in aid for state and local governments to offset revenue losses and to support increased expenditure during the pandemic. A late amendment to the bill in the Senate expanded the permitted uses of this state and local aid to include investment in water and sewer infrastructure.

The bill also allocates $500 million in funding to a water utility bill assistance programme for low-income residential customers, building on a $638 million federal appropriation in December 2020.

With the Biden administration next primed to push a multi-trillion dollar infrastructure plan, the inclusion of key water provisions in this latest stimulus could be a precursor to additional water sector funding.