U.S. Senators John Boozman (R-AR) and Mark Kelly (D-AZ) have introduced legislation aimed at helping rural water systems modernize infrastructure and strengthen cybersecurity defenses.
The Futureproofing Local Operations for Water Systems (FLOWS) Act of 2026 would establish a competitive EPA grant program authorizing $50 million annually to support water, wastewater and stormwater systems serving small communities.
According to the senators, rural water systems face challenges including aging infrastructure, limited staffing and rising operational costs. Many serve fewer than 3,300 people and lack resources to deploy modern tools that larger utilities use for leak detection, pressure management, water quality monitoring and service disruption prevention.
“Local water providers in The Natural State and across the country work hard every day to deliver reliable water services despite growing infrastructure demands and tight budgets,” said Boozman. “The FLOWS Act can offer targeted support to help modernize drinking water, wastewater and stormwater systems with advanced technologies that improve efficiency, reliability and their capacity to safeguard against cyber vulnerabilities long-term.”
Kelly emphasized the importance of reliable infrastructure for families. “Right now, rural communities are dealing with aging systems, tight budgets, and growing cyber threats,” he said. “We’re helping local water providers upgrade their equipment, catch problems before they become costly emergencies, and protect their systems from attacks so families aren’t left footing the bill for breakdowns and disruptions.”
The grants could fund digital technologies including real-time sensing, industrial control systems, artificial intelligence tools and advanced modeling software. Funding may also support workforce training and ongoing cybersecurity assistance.
The legislation has received support from the National Rural Water Association, National Association of Clean Water Agencies, Arkansas Rural Water Association, American Society of Civil Engineers and several technology companies.
“This legislation will strengthen and streamline day-to-day operations for small and rural water and wastewater systems statewide,” said Arkansas Rural Water Association CEO Matthew Holmes. “By expanding access to critical information and modern operational technology, utilities will be better equipped to handle growing issues and have the technology to respond quicker to everyday emergencies.”
The full text of the legislation is available at Boozman’s Senate website.
