Water Emergency and Technical Assistance Act of 2026

(a) Short title.— This Act may be cited as the “Water Emergency and Technical Assistance Act of 2026”.

(b) Table of contents.— The table of contents for this Act is as follows:

Section 1442 of the Safe Drinking Water Act (42 U.S.C. 300j–1) is amended—

(1) in subsection (b), in the second sentence, in clause (ii), by inserting “or be economically feasible for ratepayers” after “be taken”; and

(2) in subsection (d), by striking “$35,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2022 through 2026” and inserting “$50,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2027 through 2031”.

Title II of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (33 U.S.C. 1281 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following:

“228. Emergency technical assistance and grants.—

(a) In general.— The Administrator may provide technical assistance and grants to States or publicly owned treatment works to assist in responding to and alleviating an emergency situation affecting treatment works (including an emergency situation resulting from a cybersecurity event) that, as determined by the Administrator, present substantial danger to the public health, such as heightened exposure to contaminants from sewer overflows.

(b) Use of funds.— A grant under this section shall only be used to support an activity that—

(1) is necessary for preventing, limiting, or mitigating danger to the public health in the applicable emergency situation; and

(2) would not, in the judgment of the Administrator, be taken or be economically feasible for ratepayers without the grant.

(c) Coordination with other programs.—

(1) In general.— The Administrator may, subject to paragraph (2), carry out this section as part of, and in accordance with the terms and conditions of, any other program of assistance for environmental emergencies that the Administrator is authorized to carry out under any other provision of law.

(2) Applicability of limitations.— No limitation on appropriations for any program described in paragraph (1) shall apply to amounts made available under this section.

(d) Authorization of appropriations.— There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section $50,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2027 through 2031.”.