EPA Launches Water Reuse Action Plan 2.0 to Advance Agency’s Core Mission and Strengthen US Industry, AI, and Energy Dominance
WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lee Zeldin launched the Water Reuse Action Plan (WRAP) 2.0, to harness the power of water reuse for American industry, the artificial intelligence (AI) future, and American energy dominance while strengthening public health protections and safeguarding the nation's water resources.
Water reuse is another big win for Making America Healthy Again. It transforms wastewater into clean, reliable water that can power American industry while preserving freshwater resources to deliver high quality drinking water to the American people. Water reuse can also reduce exposure to contaminants. By reusing water, less wastewater is ultimately discharged into the environment. At the same time, advanced technologies used to recycle water are highly effective at removing contaminants—even cleaning down to the molecular level. Water reuse delivers safe, affordable water to farms, families, and industries and it strengthens community resilience and protects the natural resources future generations depend on.
Administrator Zeldin announced the plan at an event at EPA Headquarters alongside EPA Deputy Administrator David Fotouhi, EPA Assistant Administrator for Water Jessica Kramer, administration officials, Members of Congress, and key industry stakeholders.
“The Trump EPA is proving every day that protecting the environment and growing the economy go hand in hand,” said EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin. “Water reuse has never been more important. WRAP 2.0 builds on the strong foundation established during President Trump’s first term and unleashes the power of American ingenuity to advance prosperity and make America the global AI leader, while supporting public health, strengthening water resources, and Making America Healthy Again.”
“In the years since the original WRAP was launched, our nation’s water needs have changed rapidly,” said EPA Deputy Administrator David Fotouhi. “WRAP 2.0 is a comprehensive strategy that will target ways we can reuse water resources to strengthen key sectors of our economy while protecting human health and the environment. Thanks to collaborative partnerships across government and industry, we are developing innovative solutions and charting a course of transformational progress for American businesses, families, and communities.”
“America’s AI leadership depends on us moving quickly in the development of new AI infrastructure. I applaud President Trump and Administrator Zeldin’s constant efforts to maintain and grow our global leadership and unleash American AI dominance,” said Senator Mike Rounds (R-SD). “As water use for AI becomes an increasing topic of discussion, it’s critical that we tackle it head on and WRAP 2.0 is a major leap forward in strengthening our water resources for AI, for farmers, and for all Americans.”
“With President Trump’s leadership, the Water Reuse Action Plan 2.0 revitalizes successful partnerships and collaboration to accelerate water reuse in the United States,” said Council on Environmental Quality Chairman Katherine Scarlett. “Through this plan, the Trump administration will help provide Americans access to clean and safe drinking water while promoting job growth and innovation.”
“Water is essential to growing our economy— from powering critical AI and energy infrastructure to determining where a business can expand,” said Suzanne Clark, President and CEO of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. “The Chamber is proud to partner with the EPA on the launch of WRAP 2.0, which advances industry-led approaches to secure a reliable water supply for our nation’s future. We look forward to working with our members and Administrator Zeldin to implement this important initiative.”
“Water reuse supports American prosperity while protecting water resources for communities across the country. I am thrilled that WRAP 2.0 is bringing together a unique group of public and private leaders from American industry, technology companies, the energy sector, the water sector, and government,” said EPA Assistant Administrator for Water Jessica Kramer. “By working together to strategically reuse water for specific purposes, WRAP 2.0 will multiply water’s benefits to deliver innovative solutions for all Americans.”
WRAP 2.0 is not a federal regulatory mandate. EPA and its federal partners recognize that states and local leaders understand their water resources and needs best. The initiative leans on collaborative partnerships to advance reuse that strengthens key sectors of the U.S. economy. At the same time, these initiatives advance water reuse, protect public health, and bolster water resources.
The plan highlights water reuse strategies already underway, introduces new federal commitments, and charts a course for transformational progress over the next decade.
WRAP 2.0 is organized around three high-impact initiatives:
- Supporting Reuse for Resurgent Domestic Industry– Component fabrication (e.g., bottles and batteries), finished products (e.g., food and beverage products, cars, and trucks), and agricultural production.
- Water for the U.S. Technology Revolution– Microchip and memory fabrication and data center cooling.
- Unleashing American Energy Dominance– Electricity generation and energy development.
Water reuse will accelerate American prosperity by lowering costs and improving predictability of water as an input for sectors that drive the American economy, including microchip fabrications and data centers that are essential to making the U.S. the Artificial Intelligence capital of the world. Similarly, WRAP 2.0 will advance energy dominance by driving down costs and supporting energy development and electricity generation. New actions will focus on opportunities to treat wastewater for beneficial reuse.
For decades, the economy has grown while Americans have benefited from improvements in public health and environmental protection. This will continue under WRAP 2.0, through initiatives that ensure that wastewater is treated appropriately for specific intended uses.
Cooperative federalism is a hallmark of the Trump Administration. Under WRAP 2.0, EPA will continue to enhance coordination and collaboration with state and federal partners to support the implementation of water reuse within existing regulatory authorities of the Clean Water Act, Safe Drinking Water Act, Food Safety Modernization Act, and Food Drug & Cosmetic Act for alternative sources of water and end-use applications.
Find out more about Water Reuse Action Plan 2.0.
Interested in Partnering with EPA on Water Reuse?
Background
In 2020, the first Trump Administration launched WRAP in partnership with key water sector stakeholders as a first-of-its-kind collaborative effort to accelerate water reuse in the United States. At that time, WRAP included 37 strategic actions, with 86 partners making over 100 commitments via a public docket to accelerate the adoption of water reuse. Today, 200 partners are working on 76 actions. Additionally, over 200 resources have been developed for the water reuse industry and the interagency coordination embodied in the WRAP is now codified into federal law.