Sponsors (11)
The bill provides modest, near-term funding and clearer focus for regional water-reuse research that can help water-scarce communities, but does so with mandated set-asides and short-term appropriations that reduce local flexibility and create uncertainty beyond 2029.
State and local water agencies, researchers, and communities facing water scarcity gain clearer statutory support and clarified research priorities for water reuse, reclaiming wastewater, and using saline/impaired waters, improving transparency for grant applicants and focusing effort on alternative water supplies.
Institutes and regional water managers receive predictable, dedicated funding ($16 million per year for FY2026–FY2029) to support research and planning, providing near-term stability for regional water programs.
Researchers and interstate coalitions receive a required set-aside (20% of annual funds) for interstate and regional water problems, strengthening support for cross-jurisdictional research and planning that benefits multi-state watersheds and rural communities.
Mandated priorities and the 20% interstate/regional set-aside reduce institutes' flexibility and shrink the portion of funds available for single-state or local research priorities, potentially displacing existing projects or making some programs ineligible for federal support.
Appropriations are authorized only for FY2026–FY2029, creating funding uncertainty after 2029 that could disrupt longer-term research and planning efforts if funding is not reauthorized.
Because the inserted amendment text is not available to stakeholders, state and local governments and utilities face short-term uncertainty about new obligations, priorities, or funding directions under the Act.
Based on analysis of 3 sections of legislative text.
Authorizes $16M/year for FY2026–FY2029 for water research, creates a 20% set‑aside for interstate water problems, and clarifies grant and cost‑share rules.
Authorizes $16 million per year for FY2026–FY2029 for the federal water resources research and technology institutes program, creates a required 20% set‑aside of those amounts for research on interstate water problems, and reorganizes program rules for cost‑share grants, fund availability, and competitive awards. The bill also inserts additional, unspecified language into the program’s purpose statement to broaden or clarify one existing purpose related to wastewater reuse and saline/impaired water conversion.
Introduced March 9, 2026 by Robert J. Wittman · Last progress March 9, 2026