There is a serious threat to New York’s clean water. The 2026 Fiscal Year budget proposes a 90% cut to the Clean Water and Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (SRF) programs. These critical funding sources help communities across New York upgrade water systems, replace failing infrastructure, and protect public health. It is critical we reinforce bipartisan support in NYS to maintain the program’s integrity.
What We Are Doing
NYLCV is part of a coalition that is urging New York’s congressional delegation to fund the SRFs at the fully authorized levels:
- $4.9 billion for the Clean Water SRF. This program serves as a financial assistance program for a wide range of projects such as green infrastructure, wastewater facilities, and pollution control.
- $4.4 billion for the Drinking Water SRF. The DWSRF is a financial assistance program to help water systems and states to achieve the health objectives of the Safe Drinking Water Act.
State Wins and What’s Next
State Budget Victory: This year’s budget maintained $500 million for the Clean Water Infrastructure Act (CWIA), with new language supporting testing and treatment for contaminated private wells. Other clean water pieces of legislation that we supported and passed in the Senate but didn’t pass in the Assembly were:
- The Ban on PFAS in Household Products bill
- Rain Ready New York
- NYS Road Salt Reduction bill
- Find Lead Pipes Faster bill
Looking Ahead: With potential federal cuts on the horizon, New York may revisit its budget this fall. We’re preparing for possible state budget adjustments this fall if federal funding is reduced. That could put programs like CWIA at risk so we’ll need to stay alert and ready to defend critical investments.
Emma Dezenzo, an undergraduate summer intern at the New York League of Conservation Voters, is a rising senior at the University of Maryland, College Park, pursuing a degree in Environmental Science and Policy on the pre-law track.