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Congress·In Committee·about 1 year ago

Bipartisan Bill Proposes Grants and Loan Forgiveness for Struggling Rural Water Systems

Also known as: Assistance for Rural Water Systems Act of 2025

Legislative Progress

✓ Filed
Review
Senate
House
President

Impact Analysis

Scores: 1 = low, 5 = highSentiment: -5 to +5 (net benefit)

Key Points

  • This bill allows the Department of Agriculture to provide grants and loans with 0% or 1% interest to help rural communities maintain their water and sewer systems.
  • It gives the government the power to forgive existing debt or change loan terms for rural water systems that are struggling to pay back what they owe.
  • The help is specifically targeted at areas where water bills are too expensive for the average family or where the community is facing serious financial hardship.
  • By providing this financial relief, the bill aims to ensure that rural residents have safe drinking water and reliable waste disposal without facing massive price hikes.
AgricultureInfrastructure TransportationEconomy Finance

Milestones

2 milestones2 actions
Feb 27, 2025Senate

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.

Feb 27, 2025

Introduced in Senate

Related News

4 articles
Ripon Advance·about 1 year ago

Tillis unveils bipartisan Assistance for Rural Water Systems Act

Senator Thom Tillis (R-NC) joined Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) to introduce legislation granting the USDA additional authorities to provide low- and zero-interest loans, loan forgiveness, and refinancing to help rural communities modernize failing water and wastewater infrastructure.

CR+
Water Finance & Management·12 months ago

NRWA applauds bill to enhance rural water system financing

The National Rural Water Association (NRWA) announced its support for the reintroduction of the Assistance for Rural Water Systems Act of 2025, highlighting new long-term financing options and debt restructuring tools designed to maintain service affordability in economically distressed areas.

C+
EESI·10 months ago

Amidst Climate Impacts, Rural Water Systems Rely on Federal Programs

This analysis covers the reintroduction of S. 783, noting that the bill aims to prevent utility bill spikes for rural residents by offering zero-interest loans and loan forgiveness for system repairs and modernization, particularly as communities face increasing climate-related infrastructure costs.

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Source Information

Document Type

Congressional Bill

Official Title

Assistance for Rural Water Systems Act of 2025

Bill NumberS 783
Congress119th Congress
ChamberSenate
Latest ActionRead twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.

Sponsor

Cosponsors

(1)
R: 1

Analysis generated by AI. While we strive for accuracy, this should not be considered legal or professional advice. Always verify information with official government sources.