Congressman Joaquin Castro, along with San Antonio (Texas) Water System, is asking for federal money to assist with installing backup power for pump stations, citing last winter’s deep freeze as a crisis that should be averted in the future.

Castro is looking for at least $500,000 out of an appropriations bill to go toward generator installations.

“Many families did not have running water during the winter power outages, and hopefully this funding will help prevent that from happening again in the future,” Castro said in a statement, according to San Antonio Express News.

EPA Administrator Tours Milwaukee Water Project to Promote $1.2 Trillion Infrastructure Plan

In a recent visit to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Michael Regan talked about a federal infrastructure plan that aims to support the city’s $800 million project to replace its lead service lines.

City leaders toured a water infrastructure project with Regan, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

The Biden administration’s $1.2 trillion infrastructure plan has set a goal of eliminating all the lead service pipes in the nation.

Michigan Announces Grants to Support COVID-19 Wastewater Surveillance

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services recently announced $49 million in grant funding to support 19 projects around the state to monitor COVID-19 via wastewater surveillance.

“Wastewater surveillance is so important to identifying COVID-19 infections and community transmission early, and is especially important as we move to a new phase of fighting this pandemic,” said Joseph Khaldun, chief medical executive and deputy for MDHHS, according to WLNS News. “If our rates of infection start to increase, this network may provide an early warning sign and help communities target public health actions to prevent further spread.”