Napolitano Re-introduces Water Recycling Investment and Improvement Act

Press Release

Yesterday, Rep. Grace F. Napolitano (CA-32) re-introduced the Water Recycling Investment and Improvement Act (H.R. 1015), to assist water agencies with the expansion, planning, design, and building of water recycling plants and modernizing water infrastructure in California and other western states.

"The drought is not over--not here in Southern California, nor many other parts of the west," Napolitano said. "With climate change, population growth, and now a global pandemic threatening vital water supplies, we must act now to safeguard our communities from water shortages and drought. The Bureau of Reclamation's Title XVI water recycling programs have proven to be some of the most cost-effective federal programs in improving water supply and will continue to provide long-term savings, while boosting job growth and lessening our reliance on imported water. Increased funding for these water recycling and reuse projects is long overdue, and I thank all of my colleagues for supporting this legislation to better serve the water needs of our constituents."

H.R. 1015 would increase the funding authorization for the Bureau of Reclamation's Title XVI water recycling competitive grant program from $50 million to $500 million, giving local water agencies the necessary funding to increase capacities for existing recycling plants or create new cost-effective projects to boost water supplies. Identical legislation sponsored by Napolitano in the 116th Congress (H.R. 1162) passed the House Natural Resources Committee in March of 2020 and was later included in the Moving Forward Act (H.R. 2), which passed the full House in July of 2020.

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