NEWS: Sens. Schiff, Husted Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Improve Water Assistance for Rural Communities

Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senators Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) and Jon Husted (R-Ohio) introduced the Emergency Rural Water Response Act, bipartisan legislation to expand eligibility for water assistance grants and help communities swiftly respond in the face of wildfires, flooding, droughts, or other emergencies.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)'s Emergency Community Water Assistance Grant (ECWAG) helps communities prepare and recover from emergencies that threaten the availability of safe and reliable drinking water. The Senators' legislation expands the kinds of aid eligible for this funding and to more rural communities - those with populations above 10,000.

"When disasters strike, neighborhoods need access to water without delay in order to respond, save lives and recover. This legislation will play an important role in making sure we protect our water supply and provide the support our communities need to assist thousands of people in times of emergency," said Senator Schiff," said Senator Schiff.

"Rural communities are often hit the hardest by water-related disasters, yet they face long delays before emergency funding reaches them. This commonsense bill cuts red tape so communities can respond immediately during times of emergency and get critical water systems back online faster. In a crisis, communities need action, and this bipartisan effort will deliver help when they need it most," said Senator Husted.

The bill is endorsed by the Community Water Center, National Rural Water Association, and Self-Help Enterprises.

"This is a much-needed step to proactively help rural communities get the resources they need to be resilient in the face of climate disasters like drought," said Susana De Anda, Executive Director and Co-Founder of Community Water Center. "Small water systems look different across the nation, and in California, the move to increase the population limit makes resources available to small water systems whose communities have seen growth."

"The Emergency Rural Water Response Act will ensure rural communities are not left waiting for help when disaster strikes, thus protecting public health and economic stability through access to safe and reliable water services in rural America. By streamlining emergency funding and expanding eligibility, this legislation empowers local water systems to respond quickly and protect the families, farms, and businesses that depend on them every day," said Matt Holmes, CEO of National Rural Water Association.

"The Emergency Rural Water Response Act will benefit rural community infrastructure by expanding the types of water-related facilities that can be repaired using USDA emergency funds. USDA's emergency grant assistance has been a valuable resource for rural communities in the San Joaquin Valley, and the Act recognizes that after a disaster, emergency repair and response may be needed for a variety of infrastructure types," said Tom Collishaw, President/CEO of Self-Help Enterprises.

Full text of the legislation is available here.

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