Healthy H2O Act
Sponsored By: Senator Baldwin, Tammy [D-WI]
Introduced
Summary
Grants to help rural households buy, install, and maintain certified home water filters. This bill would create the Healthy Drinking Water Affordability Assistance Program to fund certified point-of-use and point-of-entry systems, approved installations, maintenance, and testing for eligible rural end users and nonprofit partners.
Show full summary
- Rural families and renters could get grants to buy and install certified water-quality products, pay for approved maintenance, and cover qualified water tests. Grants cannot help households with combined incomes above 150% of the state's nonmetropolitan median.
- Nonprofits and local service providers could receive grants to offer voluntary certified water tests, analyze results, guide responses, and coordinate approved installations by qualified installers. Products, filter components, installers, and testing labs must meet third-party certification and credential standards.
- The Department of Agriculture would administer the program, set regulations within a short rulemaking window, prioritize private-well users and regional capacity building, and send annual reports to Congress on tests, trends, barriers, and recommended improvements.
*This bill would authorize $10 million per year from 2026 through 2030 for the program, increasing federal spending by that amount.*
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
3 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 0 costs, 2 mixed.
Grants to improve rural drinking water
If enacted, the Secretary would set up the Healthy H2O Program within 120 days. The program would get authorization of $10 million per year for fiscal years 2026–2030, subject to appropriation. Grants would pay for buying certified point-of-use or point-of-entry products, approved installation, approved maintenance, and qualified water quality tests. To qualify, you would need to be in a rural area and show a qualified water quality test or other Secretary-approved proof of a health contaminant. No grant would help a household or eligible end user with income or business income over 150% of the State nonmetropolitan median from the most recent decennial census.
New certification rules for filters
If enacted, replaceable filter parts would have to be third‑party certified to standards like NSF P231 or NSF/ANSI series. Eligible products must include a certified filter component and be certified for material safety and performance by an accredited certifier. This would likely improve product safety and performance but could raise compliance costs and affect price or availability.
New installer and maintenance rules
If enacted, installers and service technicians would need professional credentials, licenses, or manufacturer/third‑party certification. They would have to follow local and State rules and manufacturer instructions. Service techs would need continuing education and approved maintenance must include replacement of certified filter parts. This could improve safety but might raise service costs or reduce available installers.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Baldwin, Tammy [D-WI]
WI • D
Cosponsors
Sen. Collins, Susan M. [R-ME]
ME • R
Sponsored 7/24/2025
Elissa Slotkin
MI • D
Sponsored 5/14/2026
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
View on Congress.gov