Rural Water System Disaster Preparedness and Assistance Act

# Rural Water System Disaster Preparedness and Assistance Act (S 1019) **What the Bill Would Do** This bill would establish federal programs to help rural water systems prepare for and respond to disasters. While specific provisions aren't detailed in the available information, bills with this title typically focus on providing funding, technical assistance, and planning resources to help small water utilities in rural areas prepare for emergencies like droughts, floods, contamination events, or infrastructure failures. The goal is to ensure rural communities maintain access to safe drinking water during crises. **Who It Affects and Current Status** The bill would primarily benefit rural water systems and the communities they serve—particularly smaller utilities that may lack resources to invest heavily in disaster preparedness.

It was introduced by Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV) in the 119th Congress and is currently in committee, meaning it has not yet been debated or voted on by the full Senate. To learn more about the specific provisions and funding amounts, you would need to review the full bill text on Congress.gov.