To promote water supply reliability and improved water management for rural communities, the State of California, and the Nation, and for other purposes.
About This Bill
Committee
Latest Action · September 14, 2023
Referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources.
This bill establishes funding mechanisms and programs to improve water supply reliability in California and other western states. The centerpiece is a Water Infrastructure and Drought Solutions Fund that will receive $750 million annually from 2032 through 2062, with the money divided equally among new water storage projects, water recycling programs, and WaterSMART grants. The bill also creates a pilot financing program to help water districts, irrigation companies, and rural communities fund water infrastructure projects like desalination facilities and pipeline improvements, and authorizes $150 million from 2024 through 2028 for these loans and technical assistance. Additionally, the legislation directs the Interior Department to complete studies on groundwater storage opportunities and expedite approvals for two specific California water projects—the Los Vaqueros Reservoir Expansion and the Stockton East Water District's land inclusion request. The bill extends funding authorization for the Rural Water Supply Act through 2028 and establishes a water technology award program to spur innovation in desalination and other water-saving technologies.
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