Washington – Today, Congresswoman Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12) and Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) each introduced the WATER Act, a comprehensive bill to expand access to clean, safe, and affordable drinking water. The Water Affordability, Transparency, Equity and Reliability Act has 65 House cosponsors and 5 Senate cosponsors and is co-led in the House by Congressman Ro Khanna (CA-17).

The WATER Act was first introduced in 2016. Its reintroduction comes amid a reconciliation process that aims at cutting regulation meant to protect clean water and a national water crisis. As weather-related disasters like droughts become more frequent and severe due to climate change, safe drinking water has become increasingly scarce and unaffordable. 

“In the year 2025, it is beyond belief that American kids are being poisoned by tap water,” said Senator Sanders. “It is even more unbelievable that President Trump wants to cut funding for water infrastructure by nearly 90 percent to give out more tax cuts for billionaires. Instead of cutting water funding, we need to massively increase the federal government’s support for local communities as they carry out the necessary work to maintain and upgrade their drinking water and wastewater infrastructure. When people in the richest country in the world turn on their taps, the water that comes out should be clean.”

“Flint’s water crisis was not an isolated event, nor was Jackson, Mississippi’s. This is not an issue of any single municipality, but for our entire country. Due to a combination of climate change, outdated infrastructure, and systemic disinvestment in our most vulnerable communities, millions of Americans risk losing access to one of the most basic necessities for human life,” said Congresswoman Watson Coleman. “Access to safe, clean water is a human right. I’m reintroducing the WATER Act to protect that right. The American water crisis will only get worse if we fail to act. I urge all my colleagues in Congress, Democratic and Republican alike, to support this pro-humanity legislation and pass it without delay.”

“Drinkable, clean water is a basic human right and a shared public resource — not a commodity for corporations and investors to profit off of. I’m proud to reintroduce the WATER Act with Senator Sanders and Representative Bonnie Watson Coleman. It is essential we protect the availability of clean water for everyone, invest in getting rid of lead pipes, PFAs and other toxins, and create hundreds of thousands of well-paying union jobs,” said Congressman Ro Khanna. 

“The WATER Act provides the bold solutions that all communities in our country need to protect safe drinking water from Trump’s attack on essential water safety programs,” said Wenonah Hauter, the executive director of Food & Water Watch. “While the White House seeks to eliminate the main source of federal funding for safe and clean water, the WATER Act would dedicate at least $35 billion annually to improving our water and sewer systems and removing toxic contamination from PFAS and lead pipes. We applaud Senator Sanders and Representatives Watson Coleman and Khanna for their leadership, and we urge Congress to pass the WATER Act and make safe water the law of the land.”

Among other provisions, the WATER Act takes steps to remove contaminants like lead and PFAS “forever chemicals,” directs grants to low-income communities to prevent water shutoffs due to unaffordable bills, and invests $35 billion into an annual trust fund for water and sewer infrastructure modernization. The legislation would also create well-paying jobs every year that would hire and train from the communities where the projects are located. 

The WATER Act is endorsed by over 500 non-governmental organizations. 

“Clean water is a basic human need — and in the richest country in the world, it’s a service everyone should have,” said AFSCME President Lee Saunders. “But today, billionaires are launching unprecedented attacks on public services and pushing dangerous privatization schemes that threaten affordable access to clean and healthy drinking water. The WATER Act would provide stable, long-term investment in our water infrastructure — ensuring AFSCME members can continue delivering safe, clean water to every community, regardless of income. We applaud Senator Bernie Sanders and Representative Bonnie Watson Coleman for championing this vital bill, and we urge Congress to act now to defend our water.”

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