# Water Affordability, Transparency, Equity, and Reliability Act of 2021

This bill is designed to make sure everyone in America has access to clean, affordable drinking water and that water systems operate fairly and transparently. The core idea is that water is essential, and no one should go without it because they can't afford it or because they live in a neglected community.

The bill tackles several real problems. Many Americans, particularly in low-income neighborhoods and rural areas, struggle with water bills that consume a huge chunk of their income—sometimes 10% or more of what they earn. Some people have had their water shut off because they couldn't pay, which creates serious health and sanitation issues. The bill would establish programs to help these households afford their water bills, similar to how some states already help people pay heating bills in winter. It would also require water systems to be more transparent about how they set rates and make decisions, so communities can actually understand and have a say in what they're paying for.

Additionally, the legislation pushes water systems to invest in aging infrastructure that's crumbling in many cities and towns, which causes contamination and waste. It emphasizes that improvements should prioritize communities that have been historically underserved and neglected. The bill also aims to ensure that water systems are reliable and resilient, especially as climate change brings more droughts and extreme weather. Overall, this is about treating water as a basic necessity rather than a luxury good, and making sure that water systems serve everyone fairly rather than just those who can afford premium prices.

Water Affordability, Transparency, Equity, and Reliability Act of 2021

Sanders, Bernard

Water Affordability, Transparency, Equity, and Reliability Act of 2021 This bill provides funding for several programs related to controlling water pollution or protecting drinking water, revises requirements concerning the clean water state revolving fund (SRF) and the drinking water SRF, and creates or reauthorizes several grant programs for water infrastructure. For example, the Environmental Protection Agency must establish a grant program for repairing, replacing, or upgrading septic tanks and drainage fields. In addition, the bill makes permanent a grant program for household water well systems in rural areas. It also increases the amount of appropriations for grant programs, including a program that awards grants to prevent lead from contaminating drinking water fountains in schools and day care facilities.