MORE WATER Act
MORE WATER Act Would Direct $1.75B to Western Water Recycling, Pipeline Projects
Legislative Progress
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.
Impact Analysis
Personal Impact
Small businesses in western states that rely on water — such as food processing, landscaping, hospitality, and agriculture-related businesses — could benefit from more dependable water supplies. The bill's investments in water recycling and conveyance improvements could reduce the economic disruption caused by water shortages and drought-related restrictions.
State Impacts
Milestones
Committee on Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee on Water and Power. Hearings held.
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. (Sponsor introductory remarks on measure: CR S380-381)
Sent to a congressional committee for expert review. The committee decides whether this bill moves forward.
Introduced in Senate
The bill was officially filed and given a number. It now enters the legislative queue.
Votes
No votes have been recorded for this legislation yet.
Source Information
Document Type
Congressional Bill
Official Title
MORE WATER Act
Data Sources
Sponsor
Analysis generated by AI. Always verify with official sources.