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119-s-783119th CongressWALLET

Assistance for Rural Water Systems Act of 2025

Sponsored By: Senator Shaheen, Jeanne [D-NH]

Introduced

Summary

Provides grants and very-low-interest loans to rural water, wastewater, and waste disposal systems. It would let USDA forgive or change existing loans and target help to systems in disadvantaged or distressed areas to protect public health.

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  • Communities and households: Targets aid where household water costs are high relative to median income by creating a residential affordability indicator. That helps keep water services affordable in disadvantaged or economically distressed areas.
  • Rural water, wastewater, and waste disposal facilities: Authorizes assistance as grants, zero percent interest loans, or 1 percent interest loans for eligible projects under existing USDA rural water programs.
  • Existing borrowers: Allows principal or interest forgiveness, loan term changes, or refinancing for outstanding loans when needed. The bill bars forgiveness or modification for loans made under the new loan program.

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

1 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.

More help for rural water systems

If enacted, the bill would let the Agriculture Secretary give grants, 0% loans, or 1% loans to eligible rural water, wastewater, and waste disposal facilities. The Secretary could provide money so systems can maintain public health, safety, or order or to address financial hardships in disadvantaged or economically distressed areas. The Secretary could also forgive loan principal or interest, change loan terms, or refinance other qualifying loans for eligible systems. The Secretary could not forgive, modify, or refinance loans that were made under this new program. The Secretary would make a local household water-cost indicator (cost per household as a share of median household income) to help identify hardship areas.

Sponsors & CoSponsors

Sponsor

Shaheen, Jeanne [D-NH]

NH • D

Cosponsors

  • Sen. Tillis, Thomas [R-NC]

    NC • R

    Sponsored 2/27/2025

Roll Call Votes

No roll call votes available for this bill.

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