WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-MD), a senior member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, and Congresswoman Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE) today announced the release of the “Water Affordability Needs Assessment” to Congress by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The study, which examines decades of research on the water affordability crises, underscores the critical need for a permanent federal water assistance program.

“The results of this study expose the need to support families who struggle to pay their water bills. Water affordability is not just a public health necessity; it is a moral imperative. I was proud to work to introduce and enact bipartisan legislation that directed the completion of this study and establishes a Rural and Low-Income Water Assistance Pilot Program at EPA,” said Senator Cardin. “This program will have system-wide benefits and help utilities make much-needed upgrades to our aging infrastructure without overburdening low-income ratepayers. I commend the EPA for their dedicated work to understand and address this important issue. Now, Congress must swiftly act to provide funding to stand up the program.”

“Access to clean water is not a luxury—it’s a fundamental human right,” said Rep. Blunt Rochester, a member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee. “The inclusion of the Low-Income Water Customer Assistance Act in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, a bill I championed with Senator Ben Cardin, marked a significant step toward ensuring equitable access to safe drinking water for all. Today’s report further advances this effort and highlights the nationwide need for assistance to low-income water customers. It’s another critical stride in our commitment to making clean, safe drinking water accessible to every community.”

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, between 12.1 million and 19.2 million households in America are unable to afford water utilities, with the average cost of the nation’s unaffordable bills ranging from $5.1 billion to $8.8 billion in total. A permanent, national low-income water assistance program would help families maintain access to water services during times of financial distress and safeguard the fiscal stability of the country’s public water utilities.

The Rural and Low-Income Water Assistance Pilot Program was authorized by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) in 2021. While the bipartisan, bicameral program was authorized by the IIJA, funds for this provision were not appropriated. With the publication of the “Water Affordability Needs Assessment,” which was authorized in Section 50108 of the IIJA, Congress is now in a position to permanently fund the program.

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