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FEDERALhearing transcript
High Impact

Senate Hearing on Water Infrastructure Funding Implementation

Original title: IMPLEMENTATION OF THE DRINKING WATER AND WASTEWATER INFRASTRUCTURE ACT: STAKEHOLDERS' NEEDS AND EXPERIENCES

January 1, 2022

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The Frame

What this does

The hearing addresses the distribution of historic federal investments intended to help local governments upgrade water systems, reduce lead contamination, and manage stormwater, directly impacting the cost and quality of water services for residents nationwide.

Who is mentioned in the record

Potentially affected actors named in the source documents. Mention is not a position.

Disadvantaged, small, rural, and tribal communities

These communities are the primary targets for new funding mechanisms designed to lower barriers to accessing federal water infrastructure dollars.

State and local water agencies

These agencies are responsible for utilizing State Revolving Funds to modernize local water and wastewater systems.

What changed

Last recorded activity January 1, 2022.

What's next

Next step not available in the current record.

Summary

This Senate subcommittee hearing reviewed the implementation of the Drinking Water and Wastewater Infrastructure Act (DWWIA). Lawmakers and witnesses discussed how to effectively distribute federal funds to modernize aging water systems, with a focus on supporting disadvantaged, small, rural, and tribal communities.

Key Facts

  • The hearing focused on the implementation of the Drinking Water and Wastewater Infrastructure Act (DWWIA), described as the largest federal water infrastructure investment in history.
  • DWWIA reauthorizes and enhances State Revolving Funds (SRFs) to help states modernize water systems.
  • The act includes provisions to lower non-federal cost shares for infrastructure projects.
  • The act increases the availability of grants and allows for debt forgiveness to assist communities that struggle to qualify for traditional loans.
  • The hearing emphasized the need to prioritize funding for disadvantaged, small, rural, and tribal communities.
  • President Biden's budget requested full federal funding for all DWWIA programs.
  • The hearing took place on April 5, 2022, in the Dirksen Senate Office Building.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the purpose of the Drinking Water and Wastewater Infrastructure Act?
It provides federal funding and programmatic changes to help states and local communities upgrade aging water systems, improve water quality, and support economic growth.
How does this act help communities that cannot afford traditional loans?
The act allows for , increases the use of grants, and lowers the amount of money local communities must contribute (cost shares) to receive federal funding.

Why It Matters

The hearing addresses the distribution of historic federal investments intended to help local governments upgrade water systems, reduce lead contamination, and manage stormwater, directly impacting the cost and quality of water services for residents nationwide.

News Coverage

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Sponsors

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Discoveries

Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.

policy shift90% confidence

Focus on Accessibility

The legislation marks a shift toward prioritizing funding for communities that historically struggle to qualify for traditional infrastructure loans through debt forgiveness and grant increases.

Connected Entities

personSusan BodinePartner, Earth and Water Law, LLCMap →
personJoshua SchimmelBoard Member, National Association of Clean Water AgenciesMap →
personMark PepperExecutive Director, Wyoming Association of Rural Water SystemsMap →
personTammy DuckworthChairman of the Subcommittee on Fisheries, Water, and WildlifeMap →
personCynthia M. LummisRanking Member of the SubcommitteeMap →
personRas J. BarakaMayor of Newark, New Jersey, and hearing witnessMap →

Sources

Open source document

www.govinfo.gov

Analysis Score

0–100
  • Significance85
    How much this matters to a regular citizen
  • Controversy20
    Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
  • Entertainment10
    Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
  • Buzz25
    Current news / social attention level

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