EWG Applauds Drinking Water Focus for Next COVID Stimulus Bill

WASHINGTON – EWG today applauded House leaders for making drinking water pollution a priority for the next COVID stimulus bill.

“Investing in drinking water infrastructure will boost the economy and help get contaminants like PFAS and lead out of our tap water,” said Scott Faber, EWG’s senior vice president for government affairs. “No one should be drinking polluted water in the middle of a pandemic.”

Overall, House leaders have proposed to spend more than $75 billion on water infrastructure.

House leaders said today their coronavirus infrastructure package will expand the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund by $25.4 billion and programs to ensure clean drinking water in schools, day care centers and on Native American Reservations. The bill will also fund new, modern clean water and wastewater infrastructure by investing $40 billion in the Clean Water State Revolving Fund.

The bill will also establish a new Low-Income Household Drinking Water and Wastewater Assistance program to assist low-income households in paying their drinking water and wastewater utility bills during public health emergencies.

For more information, visit https://transportation.house.gov/imo/media/doc/2020%20Moving%20Forward%20Factsheet.pdf

“Too many Americans are drinking water contaminated with chemicals that can damage the immune systems, including PFAS,” Faber said. “We applaud House leaders for making clean water a priority during this time of crisis.”

EWG has identified drinking water systems with high levels of contamination through EWG’s Tap Water Database: https://www.ewg.org/tapwater/

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The Environmental Working Group is a nonprofit, non-partisan organization that empowers people to live healthier lives in a healthier environment. Through research, advocacy and unique education tools, EWG drives consumer choice and civic action.

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