Mayors Commission on Water Equity’s U.S. Policy Agenda

Lawrence River Basin.1 The Mayors Commission recognizes that this is a historic moment for water equity in the United States, with unprecedented investments in water infrastructure through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and other federal and state funding programs, a network of water technical assistance programs under the umbrella of the U. [...] 1 ● Explore models to provide sustainable, equitable federal funding for safe, reliable water and wastewater infrastructure ● Appropriate funding for the Low-Income Household Water Assistance Program (LIHWAP) Build Pathways to Opportunity in the Water Workforce ● Expand and improve federal efforts to develop the water workforce ● Implement federal “Ban the Box” legislation ● Raise awareness about. [...] Program components should be tailored to the specific needs of the community and could include customer assistance programs, alternative rate designs, premise plumbing and fixture repair and replacement programs, customer service standards and other mechanisms to ensure affordable service for all while maintaining adequate levels of service and the financial integrity of the utility. [...] 3 ● Assess the successes and limitations of the IIJA infusion of funds to SRFs to inform the development of new federal grant programs to meet the needs of communities still wrestling with the most severe water infrastructure needs and fiscal constraints. [...] Congress should build upon the $492 million for the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation’s National Coastal Resilience Fund (NCRF) provided by the IIJA with ongoing appropriations for the NCRF and similar programs that provide planning and construction grants and loans to places at-risk of water rise, erosion and increased urban flooding.