A bipartisan bill has been introduced in the U.S. Senate that would update how states receive Clean Water Act funding. If passed, it could increase Arizona’s resources to provide drinking water.
The Clean Water Act Allotment Modernization Act would revamp a 36-year-old formula used by the federal government to allocate resources among states. It would require the Environmental Protection Agency to regularly update how it doles out funding based on population and need.
The EPA estimates that the updated formula could triple the amount of funding Arizona receives for water infrastructure and other projects.
Arizona Senator Mark Kelly, who’s a cosponsor of the bill, says a change in the allotment is long overdue and the state’s current needs are far different than in 1987 when it was last updated.
In a 2016 report, the EPA said the current funding formula wasn’t adequate and didn’t reflect the water quality needs of most states. The agency said Arizona had the greatest need for more Clean Water Act funding followed by Florida.
If the legislation is eventually signed into law, the allotment changes would begin in the 2024 fiscal year.
