Advanced wastewater treatment technologies at heart of proposed U.S. water funding bill

A new bipartisan bill introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives aims to modernise wastewater treatment systems nationwide by establishing a five-year federal grant programme worth $1 billion. The Advanced Wastewater Treatment Assistance Act of 2026, sponsored by Representatives Haley Stevens (D-MI) and Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA), would cover up to 50% of project costs for eligible water utilities deploying technologies such as granular activated carbon and reverse osmosis — methods proven to eliminate persistent pollutants including PFAS compounds.

A notable equity provision directs at least 49% of funding toward financially disadvantaged communities, waiving cost-share requirements for those recipients. Administrative costs would be capped at 1% for both the EPA and participating states.

The bill also mandates a comprehensive independent study on the effectiveness of advanced treatment technologies in removing emerging contaminants. Notably, the legislation directs the EPA to engage the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine — in consultation with the National Institute of Standards and Technology — to carry out the research, lending it significant scientific authority. The scope extends beyond PFAS to include nanomaterials, reflecting growing concern about a broader class of poorly understood pollutants.