WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Tribal Access to Clean Water Act, introduced by U.S. Senator Michael Bennet (D-Colo.) and Representative Joe Neguse (D-Colo.), will allocate vital resources and funds to the expansion of clean water access for Tribal and Indigenous communities in a step toward rectifying decades of disparity and injustice.

“It is the federal government’s trust responsibility to ensure all Tribes and Indigenous communities have access to something as fundamental as water. With nearly 50 percent of Native populations lacking in access to clean water, this bill is addressing one of the most significant challenges facing Indigenous peoples across the country,” said Garrit Voggesser, senior director of Tribal partnerships and policy for the National Wildlife Federation. “Water is a basic human right and must be accessible to not only support human requirements, but also to meet historical, cultural, ecological, and rights-based needs.”

The Tribal Access to Clean Water Act will: 

• Provide funding for the Indian Health Service to plan, design and renovate water, sewer and solid waste sanitation facilities; provide technical assistance; and operate and maintain water facilities that serve Native communities.
• Provide funding for the Department of Agriculture to distribute water and wastewater facility grants to eligible entities that have residents facing significant health risks due to inadequate water supply systems.
• Provide funding for a grant program for tribal clean water access projects and funding for the Native American Affairs Technical Assistance Program.
• Provide funding for the Environmental Protection Agency to distribute grants to Indian tribes and Alaska Native villages for drinking water and clean water.

Learn more about Tribal clean water at: https://tribalcleanwater.org/