Indian Health Service Directs $700 Million in Infrastructure Funds to Tribal Water Projects

The Indian Health Service announced today fiscal year 2026 allocations of $700 million from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) to support drinking water and sanitation projects across Indian Country, marking a significant step toward expanding access to these essential services. The IIJA provides $3.5 billion to the IHS between FY 2022 and 2026 to develop critical Tribal water infrastructure, including robust drinking water sources, reliable sewage systems, and effective solid waste disposal facilities.

“Clean drinking water and sanitation are fundamental public health priorities, and too many communities across Indian Country still lack these basic services,” said HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. “Through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, we are delivering projects that expand access and improve conditions, and we will continue prioritizing Tribal health as a central part of our mission to Make America Healthy Again.”

“In the first four years of Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act funding, the Indian Health Service funded over 700 construction projects across all IHS areas,” said IHS Chief of Staff Clayton Fulton. “Overall, the IIJA funding will ultimately benefit more than 109,000 American Indian and Alaska Native households. IHS is committed to this critical work to ensure our relatives enjoy the same water and sanitation services that many others take for granted.”

These FY 2026 IIJA allocation decisions follow Tribal leaders’ recommendations to prioritize projects that have completed planning and are ready to move directly into design and construction.

As funding enters its fifth year, IHS will continue working with Tribal and federal partners, including the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and Bureau of Reclamation, to expand access to safe drinking water, reliable wastewater systems, and solid waste disposal services for Tribal communities across Indian Country.

The nationwide IHS Sanitation Facilities Construction Program is responsible for the delivery of environmental engineering services and sanitation facilities to American Indians and Alaska Natives, providing homes and communities with essential water supply, sewage disposal, and solid waste disposal facilities. The program provides technical and financial assistance to American Indian and Alaska Native communities for cooperative development and construction of safe water, wastewater, and solid waste systems and related support facilities.

The Indian Health Service, an agency in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, provides a comprehensive health service delivery system for approximately 2.8 million American Indians and Alaska Natives who belong to 575 federally recognized tribes in 37 states. Follow the agency via social media on Facebook, X, and LinkedIn.