Reclamation announces over $310M for drought resilience projects

Officials with the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation have announced $309.8 million in funding from the Infrastructure Investment & Jobs Act and $1 million in appropriated funding for the planning, design, and construction of water reuse projects across the country.

The selected projects will advance drought resilience and are expected to increase annual capacity by about 213,000 acre-feet of water, enough water to support more than 850,000 people a year.

“Water is essential to everything we do and it will take all of us, working together, to address the significant drought impacts we are seeing across the West. As the climate crisis drives severe drought conditions and historically low water allocations, President Biden's Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is making historic investments to address water and drought challenges and invest in our nation’s western water and power infrastructure,” said Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland.

"Water reuse helps communities diversify their water supply as they are facing an unprecedented drought and a changing climate," said Bureau of Reclamation Commissioner Camille Calimlim Touton. “This has tangible impacts and can help feed families, grow crops, sustain wildlife and the environment and help more families access safe, clean, reliable water. These projects will provide flexibility for communities and help them stretch their current drinking supplies as they will be treating wastewater that continues to be available."

The funding will support local water management agencies with stretching existing drinking water supplies and helping to ensure that growing water needs can be met through the advanced treatment of wastewater and naturally impaired surface and groundwater. Along with non-federal contributions, the investment will support an overall $1.2 billion in infrastructure projects. 

The IIJA allocates $8.3 billion for Bureau of Reclamation water infrastructure projects to repair aging water delivery systems, secure dams, complete rural water projects, and protect aquatic ecosystems. The funding announced is part of the $1 billion in WaterSMART Water Recycling and Reuse grants provided by the Law.

The funded projects are as follows:

The Departments of the Interior and Agriculture co-lead the Drought Resilience Interagency Working Group and recently released their Drought Resilience 2022 Year One Summary Report.

More information, including details about other current opportunities to apply for funding available under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, is available on Reclamation's WaterSMART program webpage. Full descriptions of the funded projects are also available online.