APWA Support of the Water System Resilience and Sustainability Act

The Honorable Salud Carbajal

The Honorable David Valadao

The Honorable Brian Mast

The Honorable Jeff Van Drew

Dear Congressman Carbajal, Congressman Valadao, Congressman Carter, Congressman Mast, and Congressman Van Drew,

The undersigned organizations are pleased to express our support for H.R. 5566, the Water Infrastructure Resilience and Sustainability Act of 2025. This legislation reauthorizes a suite of programs established by Congress to ensure that our nation’s drinking water, wastewater, and stormwater infrastructure is resilient to the variety of threats posed by natural disasters, extreme weather, and cybersecurity concerns.

It is well documented that communities across the United States are facing escalated threats from extreme weather events and cybersecurity attacks. From severe storms in the East to drought conditions in the West, natural disasters and changes to historical hydrologic conditions pose significant challenges to the nation’s drinking water, wastewater, and stormwater utilities. Similarly, an increase in cyber attacks on water systems has created new security concerns. A ransomware attack, a hurricane, a drought, and other similar threats pose the risk of disrupting water service and the cost of adapting to these threats will only add to the significant water infrastructure investment need that communities are already facing.

H.R. 5566 reauthorizes three critical programs to address the cost of water system resilience by offering competitive grants to help communities enhance water supply, increase the resilience to natural hazards and cybersecurity, and invest in innovative technological solutions. The original program, the Drinking Water System Infrastructure Resilience and Sustainability Program, was first established in America’s Water Infrastructure Act of 2018 and serves small and disadvantaged communities. In 2021, the Clean Water Infrastructure Resilience and Sustainability Program and the Midsize and Large Drinking Water System Infrastructure Resilience and Sustainability Program were established as complimentary programs serving wastewater and large drinking water systems.

Over the past several years, Congress began appropriating funds to support these authorizations and the EPA has provided more than $25 million through the original program for small and disadvantaged communities. Last month, the agency began soliciting applications for more than $9 million in assistance for midsize and large drinking water systems. We believe Congress must build on this momentum by reauthorizing these important programs before they expire following the 2026 fiscal year.

We strongly support each of these programs to comprehensively tackle this largescale issue. Under H.R. 5566, drinking water and wastewater systems are encouraged to utilize innovative infrastructure approaches that will serve as models for other communities struggling with similar challenges. These programs urge communities across the country to build resilience into their infrastructure today to ensure uninterrupted water service for decades to come.

Again, we support H.R. 5566, the Water Infrastructure Resilience and Sustainability Act of 2025, as an important step in our nation’s effort to prepare its critical infrastructure for extreme weather
events and climate change. Thank you for your leadership on this issue and we look forward to working with you toward the passage of this legislation.

Sincerely,

Alliance for Water Efficiency
American Public Works Association
American Rivers
American Water Works Association
Association of California Water Agencies
Association of Metropolitan Water Agencies
California Association of Sanitation Agencies
National Association of Clean Water Agencies
National Association of Water Companies
US Water Alliance
Water Environment Federation
WateReuse Association