Overview
Title
To establish a program to increase drinking water and wastewater system threat preparedness and resilience, and for other purposes.
ELI5 AI
The bill is about making sure that our water is safe to drink and use by helping water places be better prepared for problems. It gives $10 million each year for two years to help share important information and tools with water organizations so they can work together to keep our water clean and safe.
Summary AI
S. 1118, titled the “Water Intelligence, Security, and Cyber Threat Protection Act of 2025,” seeks to establish a program to improve the preparedness and resilience of drinking water and wastewater systems against various threats. The bill mandates the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to develop a program encouraging community water systems to join the Water Information Sharing and Analysis Center, and supports them financially by offsetting membership costs. It aims to enhance cooperation between the EPA and the center to gather and analyze data related to water sector threats, improving tools and resources for monitoring and protection. The bill authorizes $10 million annually for fiscal years 2026 and 2027 for this purpose.
Published
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AnalysisAI
General Summary of the Bill
The Water Intelligence, Security, and Cyber Threat Protection Act of 2025 aims to enhance the preparedness and resilience of the United States' drinking water and wastewater systems against various threats. The legislation proposes the establishment of a program encouraging community water systems and treatment works to participate in the Water Information Sharing and Analysis Center. It plans to offset costs associated with this participation and aims to strengthen the cooperative efforts between the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Water Information Sharing and Analysis Center. Defined funding for these initiatives includes an annual authorization of $10 million for fiscal years 2026 and 2027.
Summary of Significant Issues
Several significant issues within the bill have been identified.
Budget Transparency Concerns: The bill authorizes substantial funding but lacks a detailed budget or clear allocation plan, raising potential concerns about resource wastage.
Vague Terminology: Phrases like "other appropriate entities" and "incident data collection and analysis of water sector-related threats" are broad and open to interpretation, which could lead to favoritism or inefficient resource allocation.
Reliance on Other Legislative Acts: The text of the bill heavily relies on other legislative acts for definitions and context, which may make it inaccessible to those unfamiliar with those laws.
Ambiguity in Enhancement Goals: The objectives for enhancing preparedness resources and tools lack specificity, potentially making it challenging to measure the program's effectiveness and success.
Impact on the Public
This bill is poised to impact the public by aiming to safeguard essential water infrastructure, an area crucial for the health and well-being of communities. Improved resilience and threat preparedness can protect against interruptions in water supply and ensure safer drinking water. However, without a detailed implementation plan, there's uncertainty about how effectively these improvements will be realized and benefit communities.
Impact on Specific Stakeholders
Community Water Systems and Treatment Works: These entities stand to gain from financial support and improved capabilities to address and manage water threats. However, the ambiguity regarding participation and the potential inclusion of "other appropriate entities" raises questions about who might be eligible for support, which could dilute the intended targeting of resources.
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA): The bill underscores the EPA's role in facilitating stronger coordination and data-sharing efforts. This may enhance the agency's operational capabilities, although it also increases its responsibilities without explicitly addressing resource allocation for these tasks.
Water Information Sharing and Analysis Center: This entity could see enhanced role and capacity, bolstered by the proposed funding and focus on resource development. More precise definitions of expected improvements would help in assessing the center’s impact.
Regulatory and Oversight Bodies: While these bodies might see increased demand for oversight, the bill’s current lack of clarity on performance metrics or reporting requirements could complicate assessment and accountability efforts.
In conclusion, while the bill aims to fortify the nation’s water systems against threats, the lack of specificity in several provisions raises questions about its efficiency and effectiveness in achieving the intended objectives. Addressing these gaps would be beneficial in ensuring the program's success and its positive impact on both public safety and resource management.
Financial Assessment
The proposed bill, S. 1118, known as the “Water Intelligence, Security, and Cyber Threat Protection Act of 2025,” aims to enhance the resilience and preparedness of water systems in the United States against potential threats. An important component of this initiative is its financial framework, which allocates resources to support its objectives.
Summary of Financial Allocations
The bill authorizes a total of $10,000,000 annually for fiscal years 2026 and 2027. These funds are intended to remain available until fully expended. The financial support is specifically directed towards encouraging community water systems and treatment works to participate in the Water Information Sharing and Analysis Center. Additionally, part of this funding is designated to offset costs associated with initiating or maintaining this membership, effectively removing financial barriers for these systems.
Financial Allocations and Related Issues
One notable issue tied to the financial aspect of the bill is the lack of detail concerning the allocation of the $10,000,000 appropriations. While the bill specifies the overall amount, it does not provide a breakdown of how these funds will be distributed or utilized. This omission raises concerns about potential wasteful spending due to the absence of a detailed budget or expenditure plan.
Additionally, the bill's reference to "other appropriate entities" in the context of financial support for participation in the Water Information Sharing and Analysis Center is somewhat vague. This could lead to broad interpretations about which entities are deemed eligible for financial assistance, potentially resulting in favoritism or inefficient allocation of resources. More specific criteria or guidelines for what constitutes an "appropriate entity" would help ensure that the funds serve their intended purpose effectively.
The lack of specificity in the bill also extends to the intended enhancements for the Water Information Sharing and Analysis Center. While funds are allocated to improve tools, resources, and materials, the bill does not detail the particular improvements planned. This ambiguity makes it challenging to assess the effectiveness of the financial expenditure and whether the resources allocated will directly address the intended goals.
Overall, while S. 1118 sets forth a clear financial commitment to enhancing the preparedness and resilience of water systems, the success of these financial allocations will depend greatly on further specification and strategic planning to ensure that funds are used efficiently and effectively.
Issues
The authorization of $10,000,000 annually for fiscal years 2026 and 2027 in Section 2(c) is not accompanied by a detailed budget or explanation on how the funds will be allocated, raising concerns about potential wasteful spending (Section 2).
The term 'other appropriate entities' in Section 2(b)(1) is vague and could allow for broad interpretation, potentially including organizations that may not be essential to the Water Information Sharing and Analysis Center, leading to concerns about favoritism or inefficient allocation of resources (Section 2).
The reliance on references to other sections of legislative acts, such as the Safe Drinking Water Act and the Federal Water Pollution Control Act, makes it difficult for readers not familiar with those acts to fully understand the implications of the program established in Section 2(a).
The language regarding enhancing the tools, resources, and materials of the Water Information Sharing and Analysis Center for 'monitoring the status of the water sector' in Section 2(b)(4) is ambiguous, lacking specificity about the intended improvements or enhancements (Section 2).
The term 'incident data collection and analysis of water sector-related threats' in Section 2(b)(3) is broad, and would benefit from clearer definitions or examples of what types of incidents and threats are being referred to (Section 2).
Sections
Sections are presented as they are annotated in the original legislative text. Any missing headers, numbers, or non-consecutive order is due to the original text.
1. Short title Read Opens in new tab
Summary AI
The first section of the Act is titled "Short title" and establishes that the official name of the law is the “Water Intelligence, Security, and Cyber Threat Protection Act of 2025”.
2. Program establishment Read Opens in new tab
Summary AI
The section establishes a program to support community water systems and treatment works by encouraging participation in the Water Information Sharing and Analysis Center. It also provides funding to offset costs for these entities, aims to improve collaboration and threat analysis with the Environmental Protection Agency, and enhances monitoring and preparedness tools for water sector threats. The program is authorized to receive $10 million annually for fiscal years 2026 and 2027.
Money References
- (b) Establishment.—Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency shall develop and carry out a program— (1) to encourage, support, and maintain the participation of community water systems, treatment works, and other appropriate entities in the Water Information Sharing and Analysis Center; (2) to offset costs incurred by community water systems and treatment works that are necessary to maintain or initiate membership in the Water Information Sharing and Analysis Center; (3) to expand the cooperation and coordination of the Environmental Protection Agency with the Water Information Sharing and Analysis Center with respect to incident data collection and analysis of water sector-related threats; and (4) to enhance the tools, resources, and materials of the Water Information Sharing and Analysis Center for— (A) monitoring the status of the water sector; and (B) enhancing the preparedness of community water systems and publicly owned treatment works to identify, protect against, detect, respond to, and recover from malevolent acts (within the meaning of section 1433 of the Safe Drinking Water Act (42 U.S.C. 300i–2)) or natural hazards. (c) Authorization of appropriations.—There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section $10,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2026 and 2027, to remain available until expended. ---