It is both the first Congressionally approved infrastructure bill and the first component of the American Jobs Plans passed in this legislative session, a relatively easy first win, having sailed through the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee March 24 on a 20-0 vote with support from groups across industry and environmental organizations.

Still, proponents are framing the bill's passage as a potentially propulsive first step for Biden's larger, $2.3-trillion infrastructure plan.

“This legislation shows that water infrastructure investment is a bipartisan issue, and it can serve as an important foundation for including water as a major component in a broad infrastructure package,” said Adam Krantz, CEO of the National Association of Clean Water Agencies, in a statement.

Sen. Tom Carper (D-Del.) also highlighted the bill's economic and environmental benefits, saying it "invests in strengthening our nation’s water systems to foster economic growth, build climate-resilient infrastructure, and help ensure that all Americans have access to clean, safe water.”

Passage "provies that infrastructure can be done on a bipartisan basis,” wrote Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) in a tweet. Republicans recently unveiled their own, smaller, infrastructure plan.

The water infrastructure bill reauthorizes program funding through fiscal 2026, with annual amounts for program components to be determined by appropriations committees.