# 119-s-1730: Water Affordability, Transparency, Equity, and Reliability Act of 2025 119-s-1730, Water Affordability, Transparency, Equity, and Reliability Act of 2025, is a 119th Congress bill sponsored by Sen. Sanders, Bernard [I-VT] (I-VT); status introduced; PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-09-10). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-1730 - As of: 2026-09-10 - Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts. ## Facts - Bill: 119-s-1730 - Congress: 119 - Title: Water Affordability, Transparency, Equity, and Reliability Act of 2025 - Status: introduced - Introduced: 2025-05-13 - Sponsor: Sen. Sanders, Bernard [I-VT] (I-VT) - Cosponsors: 5 - Policy area: Environmental Protection - Touches household money: yes - Last recorded action: 2026-09-10 ## Summary **Creates dedicated federal funding for water and sewer infrastructure and ties that money to affordability, equity, and labor rules.** The bill would authorize large, multi-source transfers to fund clean water, drinking water, rural systems, and Indian Health Service projects while expanding lead and PFAS fixes and promoting public ownership. ## Cosponsors (5) - Sen. Blumenthal, Richard [D-CT] (D-CT), 2025-05-13T00:00:00.000Z - Sen. Warren, Elizabeth [D-MA] (D-MA), 2025-05-13T00:00:00.000Z - Sen. Wyden, Ron [D-OR] (D-OR), 2025-05-13T00:00:00.000Z - Sen. Merkley, Jeff [D-OR] (D-OR), 2025-05-13T00:00:00.000Z - Sen. Markey, Edward J. [D-MA] (D-MA), 2025-05-13T00:00:00.000Z ## Provisions PRIA read - Big Clean Water funding boost: benefit, high. If enacted, the government would transfer $17.237 billion to the EPA on October 1 each year for Clean Water programs. EPA would be required to obligate up to $175 million, $525 million, $875 million, $875 million, and about $14.787 billion to several grant programs and state capitalization funds ea… - Expanded help for local water systems: benefit, high. If enacted, the bill would let federal drinking and clean water funds buy private community water systems, even from unwilling sellers, and pay to end operation contracts. It would let funds pay to update treatment or switch sources for certain PFAS contamination. The bill would fund household well… - More Safe Drinking Water money: benefit, high. If enacted, the government would transfer $16.187 billion to the EPA on October 1 each year for Safe Drinking Water programs. EPA would be required to obligate up to $175 million for technical assistance, about $14.787 billion for state capitalization grants, $175 million for certain grants, and $1… - More water funding for tribes: benefit, high. If enacted, the government would transfer $1.05 billion to the Indian Health Service on October 1 each year. IHS would be required to use up to $1.05 billion per year for planning, building, and repairing water, sewer, and sanitation facilities for tribes and Native communities. The funds would rem… - New rural water grant money: benefit, high. If enacted, the government would transfer $525 million to the Department of Agriculture on October 1 each year for rural water grants. The Department would be required to obligate up to $175 million for one rural grant program and up to $350 million for another each fiscal year. The funds would rem… - States must use 50% for subsidies: benefit, high. If enacted, States would have to use at least 50% of the capitalization grant money they receive in a fiscal year for additional subsidization or loan subsidies, if enough applications exist. That would increase grant and subsidy dollars available to eligible communities and households through stat… - EPA guidance to protect water customers: benefit, medium. If enacted, the EPA would be required to include accounting standards and rules to protect households in its drinking water guidance. The guidance would cover shutoff protections, equity, public participation, and data collection about disconnected or unserved households. States and utilities would… - Limits on funding for new developments: cost, low. If enacted, States would not be allowed to give revolving fund money to projects that mainly benefit new subdivisions, lots, or new communities. The only exception would be for advanced decentralized wastewater systems. This would limit use of federal funds for many new development projects. - New labor rules for water projects: mixed, medium. If enacted, States and recipients of drinking and clean water funds would be required to allow and, where practicable, use project labor agreements for construction projects. The bill also keeps prevailing wage requirements in place for covered water projects. These changes would boost labor protec… ## Related bills - 119-s-5071: Children's Safe Welcome Act of 2026 - 119-s-2819: Head Start for America's Children Act - 119-s-3990: PrEP Access and Coverage Act of 2026 - 119-s-2823: FAMILY Act - 119-s-2763: Keep Billionaires Out of Social Security Act - 119-s-3869: Healthy Families Act ## Sources - [119-s-1730 on Congress.gov](https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/1730) ## Related - [119-s-5071: Children's Safe Welcome Act of 2026](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-5071) - [119-s-2819: Head Start for America's Children Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-2819) - [119-s-3990: PrEP Access and Coverage Act of 2026](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-3990) - [119-s-2823: FAMILY Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-2823) - [119-s-2763: Keep Billionaires Out of Social Security Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-2763) - [119-s-3869: Healthy Families Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-3869) - [All bills in Congress](https://policyrisk.com/legislation) Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-1730 (as of 2026-09-10).