Department of Interior Announces Allocation of more than $300 million in BIL funds for Water Reuse

On August 18, the Department of the Interior announced the allocation of $309.8 million in funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law for the planning, design, and construction of water reuse projects that will advance drought resilience across the country. According to the announcement, this funding will “support local water management agencies with stretching existing drinking water supplies and helping to ensure that growing water needs can be met through the advanced treatment of wastewater and naturally impaired surface and groundwater.”

This allocation will fund twenty projects in California, and an additional project in five other states: Hawaii, Idaho, Texas, Utah, and Washington.  The Department expects these twenty-five projects will increase annual capacity by about 213,000 acre-feet of water, which is enough to support more than 850,000 people a year.