Desalination Reauthorization Act

Key Points

• The bill extends key federal desalination programs for another 15 years from whenever the bill becomes law, keeping funding and technical support available for turning salt or brackish water into drinking water.
• It keeps the federal government's cost-share at up to 25 percent of a project's total cost, but removes any dollar limit on how much the government can contribute, letting bigger projects qualify for larger federal contributions.
• A new competitive grant program is created to test advanced, first-of-a-kind desalination technologies, including better and cheaper ways to manage leftover salty brine waste.
• Eligible projects must be located in or primarily benefit a Reclamation State, meaning funding is concentrated in Western states, and must be run by or funded through states, tribes, water districts, or similar public entities.