Assistance for Rural Water Systems Act of 2026
Sponsored By: Representative Rep. Davis, Donald G. [D-NC-1]
Introduced
Summary
Assistance for rural water systems. This bill would create a new standalone authority to give grants and very low‑interest loans to rural water, wastewater, and waste disposal systems.
Show full summary
- Rural water, wastewater, and waste disposal facilities would be eligible for grants, zero percent interest loans, or 1 percent interest loans.
- The Secretary could forgive loan principal or interest, change loan terms, or refinance outstanding loans that serve eligible purposes, but those relief powers would not apply to loans made under the bill's new lending authority.
- To target aid, the Secretary would establish a residential affordability indicator that measures household water cost as a share of median household income and set factors to identify disadvantaged or economically distressed areas. Assistance could be used to maintain public health, safety, or order and to address financial hardship in those communities.
Your PRIA Score
Personalized for You
How does this bill affect your finances?
Sign up for a PRIA Policy Scan to see your personalized alignment score for this bill and every other piece of legislation we track. We analyze your financial profile against policy provisions to show you exactly what matters to your wallet.
Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
1 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
More help for rural water systems
This bill would create a new program to help rural water, wastewater, and waste disposal systems. The Secretary would be able to provide grants, 0% interest loans, or 1% interest loans. The Secretary would also be able to forgive loan principal or interest, change loan terms, or refinance existing loans that serve eligible purposes, but could not forgive, modify, or refinance loans made under this new authority. Assistance would be for keeping systems running to protect public health, safety, or order and for addressing financial hardship in disadvantaged or economically distressed areas. The Secretary would have to set a residential affordability indicator (cost per household as a share of median household income) and other factors to identify disadvantaged areas. These rules would take effect upon enactment.
Free Policy Watch
You just read the policy. Now see what it costs you.
Pick a topic. PRIA runs your household against live legislation and sends you a free personalized readout.
Pick a topic to get started
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Rep. Davis, Donald G. [D-NC-1]
NC • D
Cosponsors
Johnson (SD)
SD • R
Sponsored 2/12/2026
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
View on Congress.govTake It Personal
Get Your Personalized Policy View
Take the PRIA Score to see how policy affects your household, then upgrade to PRIA Full Coverage for year-round monitoring.
Already have an account? Sign in