Please take 3 minutes to protect access to clean water by calling your Senators.
The COVID-19 crisis has demonstrated the link between public health and access to clean water. Due to underinvestment in American and tribal water and wastewater systems, as many as a third of Americans face unaffordable water bills, putting them at risk of having their utilities shut off. At a time when washing our hands is critical to protecting ourselves against the virus, safe and affordable water is a matter of public health.
In May, the House passed the HEROES Act, which would go further than previous relief packages by including two of our key priorities to protect water:
$50M in grants to address the disproportionate impacts of COVID-19 in environmental justice communities.
$1.5 billion in grants to states and tribes to subsidize water costs for low-income households, and restore or keep water access for communities facing shut offs or toxic water.
Unfortunately, instead of passing this bill, the Senate has introduced an alternative that leaves out these provisions, as well as other critical policies necessary to supporting families and communities.
Take action at https://plcylk.org/covid-relief-water.
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