EPA to Invest $90 Million to Strengthen Water Infrastructure for Tribes and Rural Communities
WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced that it will use $90 million in grant funding to develop and revitalize drinking water and wastewater infrastructure that supports Tribal communities and rural America. This funding will accelerate water infrastructure upgrades that are critical to public health, environmental protection, and economic opportunity.
“Clean and safe water provides a foundation for thriving communities by keeping people healthy while strengthening local waterbodies and natural resources,” said EPA Assistant Administrator for Water Jess Kramer. “The Trump EPA is investing $90 million in water infrastructure to help ensure access to safe drinking water and wastewater management to strengthen Tribal Nations as well as small and rural communities.”
EPA will invest $30 million in partnership with the Indian Health Service to support drinking water and wastewater infrastructure projects that benefit Tribes. These projects will advance key water infrastructure needs, such as increasing access to centralized drinking water and wastewater treatment, improving and repairing aged drinking water infrastructure, improving compliance by reducing contaminants in drinking water, and replacing deteriorated sewage collection systems and wastewater treatment systems.
“EPA has a long and successful partnership with the Indian Health Service, and under this Administration, we are delivering results.” said EPA Assistant Administrator for International and Tribal Affairs Usha Turner. “This partnership leverages our collective resources to deploy real solutions and accelerate results for Tribes across the nation.”
The agency also will invest $60 million in existing EPA programs that support small, rural, and Tribal communities, including RealWaterTA. RealWaterTA is a back-to-basics approach supporting drinking water and wastewater systems using proven best-practice approaches that will most effectively address local needs. The agency recently issued a call to action to align all technical assistance for drinking water and wastewater systems with tried-and-true services, such as engineering and design expertise, operational support, workforce development, and financial management. The goals of RealWaterTA focus on public health and compliance with the Safe Drinking Water Act and Clean Water Act.
This newly available funding continues EPA’s commitment to supporting Tribal communities and rural America through water infrastructure programs. In 2025 alone, EPA announced nearly $300 million to improve drinking water and wastewater in these communities, including:
- $240 million to improve drinking water and wastewater infrastructure through the Clean Water Indian Set Aside and Drinking Water Infrastructure Grants.
- $49 million for technical support for small, rural and Tribal communities working to make wastewater infrastructure improvements.
- $3 million for three projects to reduce lead in drinking water in Tribal communities.
- $1 million in grant funding for Tribes to develop underground injection control programs that protect sources of drinking water while supporting industry and energy projects.
Background
On July 17, 2026, EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin reaffirmed the EPA Policy for the Administration of Environmental Programs on Indian Reservations (EPA Indian Policy), which contains nine fundamental principles to guide EPA’s work with Tribes.
Learn more about EPA’s Reducing Lead in Drinking Water Tribal Grant Program and Clean and Safe Water in Indian Country.