Bureau of Reclamation selects 43 projects to receive funding for collaborative planning and design projects to improve water sustainability and efficiency.
WASHINGTON – The Bureau of Reclamation today announced nearly $12.1 million through President Biden’s Investing in America agenda to support collaborative planning and design projects to improve water sustainability and efficiency. Reclamation selected a total of 43 projects in 11 states to receive the funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, Inflation Reduction Act and annual appropriations through Reclamation’s WaterSMART program.
“These investments will assist our partners in planning and design of water-related projects to improve water management and drought resiliency,” said Deputy Commissioner Roque Sanchez. “These types of projects are key in helping communities in the West to combat impacts of long-term drought.”
The projects selected are in California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Texas, Utah, Washington and Wyoming. Partners will plan and design a variety of water supply enhancement projects including those to enhance groundwater discharge, design recycled water infrastructure, pipe water to reduce water losses, design backup infrastructure to domestic water supply and expand water reuse. To view a full list of projects, visit the Reclamation website.
The Biden-Harris administration has led a comprehensive effort to make Western communities more resilient to climate change and address the ongoing megadrought across the region by harnessing the full resources of President Biden’s historic Investing in America agenda. To date, Reclamation has announced more than $3.2 billion from Inflation Reduction Act for 222 drought mitigation projects, 39 domestic water supply projects, seven emergency relief projects for Tribal communities and four canal improvement projects. Reclamation has also announced more than $5.3 billion from Bipartisan Infrastructure Law for almost 600 projects.
This funding also advances President Biden’s Justice40 Initiative, which aims to ensure that 40% of the overall benefits of certain climate, clean energy, and other federal investments flow to disadvantaged communities marginalized by underinvestment and overburdened by pollution.
