Infrastructure Deal is Big News for WRRC and Water Sector

Did you know that the WRRC was part of the bipartisan infrastructure bill? The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, signed into law this week, contains historic investment in water resources and, of particular importance to the WRRC, it reauthorized the Water Resources Research Act (WRRA). As our readers may know, the WRRC is the water resources research institute for AZ, federally authorized under the WRRA. The reauthorization extends WRRA funding through FY2025 and contains changes long advocated by the WRRC and peer research institutes nationwide. An important change halves the cost-sharing requirement, from 2:1 to 1:1. This change will significantly improve the WRRC’s ability to leverage WRRA funding for our research and outreach programs, including the Section 104(b) student grant program. We will be issuing the next call for 104(b) proposals in the spring semester.

 

Of more general interest to the water sector, the infrastructure deal includes over $50 billion for drinking water, wastewater, and stormwater infrastructure funding, according to an EPA Fact Sheet. Among its many water-related provisions, the Act allocates $1 billion for water reuse projects in the western US, $11.7 billion each for Clean Water and Drinking Water State Revolving Funds, and an additional $15 billion in loans and grants for lead service pipe replacement. Multi-benefit watershed health projects received $100 million, desalination projects $250 million, and Drought Contingency Plan implementation $300 million.

 

Image: Andy Pernick, Bureau of Reclamation