[20210402]IN11642_水服务问题和新冠肺炎-19：最近国会拨款.pdf

CRS INSIGHT Prepared for Members and Committees of Congress INSIGHTINSIGHTi i Water Service Issues and COVID-19: Recent Congressional Funding April 2, 2021 Several water service issues have garnered increased congressional attention during the Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) Pandemic. Among these, some are long-standing concerns over household water-rate affordability and the condition of municipal water infrastructure. Other issues have emerged as water systems and/or local governments have experienced COVID-19-related revenue shortages, which may affect water systems operations, maintenance, and/or financial sustainability. During the pandemic, Congress has enacted a number of proposals to address these and other issues. To address water-rate affordability, the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 (P.L. 116-260) provided $638 million for water or wastewater rate assistance on behalf of low-income households. The American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA; P.L. 117-2) included another $500 million for such assistance, and provided $350 billion for state and local governments for COVID-19-related purposes, among them water or sewer infrastructure investments. This Insight briefly reviews water