H.R. 5566: Water Infrastructure Resilience and Sustainability Act

H.R. 5566, introduced on September 26, 2025, does one main thing: it extends the authorization date for three existing federal water resilience and sustainability programs from 2026 to 2031. It does not create a brand-new program in the fact sheet provided. Instead, it keeps current authorities on the books for an additional five years.

The bill reaches across both clean water and drinking water law. It amends section 223(g)(1) of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act, codified at 33 U.S.C. 1302a(g)(1), by striking "2026" and inserting "2031." It also amends section 1459A(l) of the Safe Drinking Water Act, codified at 42 U.S.C. 300j-19a(l), by striking "2026" each place it appears and inserting "2031," and section 1459F(f)(1) of the Safe Drinking Water Act, codified at 42 U.S.C. 300j-19g(f)(1), by replacing "2026" with "2031."

In practical terms, the bill is about continuity. Water utilities, local governments, and public agencies often plan infrastructure work over multiple years, not a single budget cycle. Extending these programs through 2031 gives more runway for resilience and sustainability projects tied to wastewater systems, general drinking water systems, and midsize and large drinking water systems.

The politics also matter. The bill was referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce and the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and the fact sheet lists primary sponsors from both parties: Mr. Carbajal, Mr. Valadao, Mr. Carter of Louisiana, Mr. Mast, and Mr. Van Drew. With 10 cosponsors and trade press coverage emphasizing resilience and cyber-related support for water systems, the measure looks like a targeted attempt to avoid a 2026 lapse rather than a sweeping rewrite of federal water policy.