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Congress·In Committee·S. 3738

MORE WATER Act Would Direct $1.75B to Western Water Recycling, Pipeline Projects

MORE WATER Act

about 2 months ago·View on Congress.gov

Legislative Progress

Senate
House
President
Law

Key Points

  • This bill creates a new program to build and fix water pipelines and canals across the Western United States. It provides $500 million between 2028 and 2032 to help local communities move water more efficiently to where it is needed most, which is especially important during long droughts.
  • The plan focuses on 'multi-benefit' projects. This means new water systems must do more than just move water; they are designed to also provide clean drinking water to low-income neighborhoods or help restore local environments and wildlife habitats.
  • It sets aside $1 billion for water recycling and reuse projects. These projects help cities and farms use the same water multiple times, which reduces the need to take more water from struggling rivers and underground wells.
  • About $250 million is dedicated to protecting nature. This includes cleaning up lakes, helping fish like salmon and trout travel through rivers, and using high-tech tools to monitor water levels in real-time to prevent damage to the environment.
  • To make the system more efficient, the bill would cancel old water projects that have been sitting on the books for years without any work being done. This clears the way for newer, more important projects to get the attention and money they need to be finished.
Energy EnvironmentInfrastructure TransportationAgriculture

Impact Analysis

Personal Impact

Scores: 1 = low, 5 = highSentiment: -5 to +5 (net benefit)

State Impacts

Scores: 1 = low, 5 = highSentiment: -5 to +5 (net benefit)

Milestones

2 milestones3 actions
Mar 17, 2026Senate

Committee on Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee on Water and Power. Hearings held.

Jan 29, 2026Senate

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. (Sponsor introductory remarks on measure: CR S380-381)

Jan 29, 2026

Introduced in Senate

What Happens Next

Projected impacts based on AI analysis

About 1 year after enactment

Deauthorization process begins: Secretary publishes interim list of inactive water projects within 1 year of enactment

Old water projects that haven't received funding in at least 7 years would be publicly listed and put on track for cancellation, clearing the way for newer priorities.

About 3 years after enactment

Inactive water projects on final list are formally deauthorized unless Congress or sponsors intervene

About 3 years after enactment, old projects without funding or congressional protection are officially cancelled, reducing the backlog of stalled federal water projects.

Source Information

Document Type

Congressional Bill

Official Title

MORE WATER Act

Bill NumberS 3738
Congress119th Congress
ChamberSenate
Latest ActionCommittee on Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee on Water and Power. Hearings held.

Sponsor

Analysis generated by AI. Always verify with official sources.