APWA Joins Coalition to Support Vital Water Infrastructure Programs

October 31, 2025

Representative Sam Graves
Chair, Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure
1135 Longworth House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515

Representative Rick Larsen
Ranking Member, Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure
2163 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515

Representative Brett Guthrie
Chair, Committee on Energy and Commerce
2161 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515

Representative Frank Pallone
Ranking Member, Committee on Energy and Commerce
2107 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515

Subject: Support Reauthorization of Vital Water Infrastructure Programs

Dear Chairman Graves, Ranking Member Larsen, Chairman Guthrie, and Ranking Member Pallone,

On behalf of the undersigned organizations, we write to express our strong support for the reauthorization of expiring State and Tribal Assistance Grant (STAG) funding and financing programs, including the Drinking Water and Clean Water State Revolving Funds (SRFs).

Our nation’s water infrastructure is essential to the strength of American communities. For close to 85 years, Congress has provided federal funds to municipalities to address local water quality challenges. Since the inception of the SRFs, Congress has worked with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the states to provide billions of dollars in loans, principal forgiveness, and technical assistance for clean water and drinking water projects. This investment, along with the $50 billion in supplemental funding provided through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021 (IIJA), has gone a long way to ensuring water systems can continue to serve their communities.

However, EPA’s most recent Clean Watersheds Needs Survey found that $630.1 billion will be needed over the next 20 years to fund necessary wastewater, stormwater, wastewater treatment, and nonpoint source control projects. Similarly, the Drinking Water Infrastructure Needs Survey and Assessment identified a need for $625 billion investment over 20 years to fund drinking water infrastructure projects across the country. This represents a $359.1 billion and $152.4 billion increase from the previous surveys, respectively. This, compounded by a 31 percent decrease in federal capital investment in water infrastructure over the last few decades1 has put a strain on states and local governments, who now must choose between keeping water rates affordable and deferring critical maintenance. When communities are able to leverage low-interest loans from the SRFs, they save on average an estimated $960 million in interest rates over the life of the loan and can cut the cost of financing by more than 50 percent.

These long-standing programs are an important part of protecting human health and keeping our economy moving. Clean water infrastructure has been cited by the British Medical Journal as being the most important medical innovation since 1840. Preventing water infrastructure failure could save $7.7 billion in cumulative healthcare costs over the next 20 years. Additionally, completing critical infrastructure repairs and replacements on schedule, rather than deferring maintenance saves money in the long run. Emergency repairs can cost three to five times more than scheduled maintenance. By having access to state revolving loan funds and direct federal grants, communities can provide safe, reliable infrastructure at an affordable rate, and combined, these projects generate nearly 40,000 jobs and $6.47 billion in annual economic output.

The STAG programs and the Drinking Water and Clean Water SRFs are essential for maintaining reliable access to affordable financing and providing clean and safe water for residents and businesses. We urge you to reauthorize the SRFs and other water infrastructure programs through 2031 at or above the current authorization levels.

Sincerely,

• American Cement Association
•  American Public Works Association
•  American Society for Civil Engineers
•  American Water Works Association
•  Associated Equipment Distributors
• Association of Equipment Manufacturers
•  Association of Metropolitan Water Agencies
•  California Association of Sanitation Agencies
•  Clean Water Construction Coalition
•  Council of Infrastructure Financing Authorities
• National Association of Clean Water Agencies
•  National Association of Counties
•  National League of Cities
• National Ready Mixed Concrete Association
• National Rural Water Association
•  National Stone, Sand and Gravel Association
• National Utility Contractors Association
• National Water Resources Association
• Protect Kids from Lead Coalition
•  Water Environment Federation
•  WateReuse
• Water and Wastewater Equipment Manufacturers Association
•  United States Conference of Mayors
•  US Water Alliance

CC:
House Speaker Mike Johnson
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries
Representative Mike Collins, Chair, Water Resources and Environment Subcommittee, House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure
Representative Frederica Wilson, Ranking Member, Water Resources and Environment Subcommittee, House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure
Representative Gary Palmer, Chair, Environment Subcommittee, House Committee on Energy and Commerce
Representative Paul Tonko, Ranking Member, Environment Subcommittee, House Committee on Energy and Commerce
Members of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure
Members of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce