Sponsor
Alejandro Padilla
Senator · D-CA
Senator · D-CA
Official title: Amend the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to reauthorize the large-scale water recycling and reuse program, to establish a Water Conveyance Improvement Program, and for other purposes.
Introduced January 29, 2026 by Alejandro Padilla · Last progress January 29, 2026
The bill directs substantial new federal funding and clearer oversight toward water recycling, conveyance, and environmental restoration—helping states, tribes, disadvantaged communities, and ecosystems—while increasing federal spending and imposing matching, administrative, and timing burdens that may delay projects or disadvantage smaller/local sponsors.
State, tribal, and local water agencies (and the utilities that serve them) receive predictable federal funding for planning, design, and construction of large-scale water recycling, reuse, and conveyance projects — the bill authorizes roughly $1.75 billion across FY2028–FY2032 (summing section authorizations), increasing water‑supply resilience in water‑stressed areas.
Low-income communities, tribal lands, and regional ecosystems get prioritized support: the bill boosts funding and gives extra federal share or priority to projects that deliver safe drinking water benefits to disadvantaged areas and multi‑benefit environmental outcomes (habitat, lake and fisheries restoration, monitoring, hatcheries, fish passage).
Indian Tribes are explicitly included as eligible entities and stakeholders, enabling tribal participation in and access to conveyance, recycling, and safe drinking water project funding.
Taxpayers face increased federal spending exposure: the bill authorizes roughly $1.75 billion (FY2028–2032) in targeted programs (plus indexed ceilings and other caps), increasing federal outlays and potentially diverting funds from other priorities.
Non‑Federal sponsors (local governments, small utilities, nonprofits) may need larger matching shares or be pressured to fully fund or finance projects, disadvantaging poorer communities and small entities that cannot readily raise matching funds.
Communities relying on long‑authorized but unfunded projects risk losing future federal authorization or support through deauthorization timelines or program cutoffs, which can derail local water and infrastructure plans.
Based on analysis of 6 sections of legislative text.
Creates a Water Conveyance Improvement Program, increases and reauthorizes funding for water recycling/reuse and restoration, and requires deauthorization of long‑inactive Reclamation projects.
Provides new grants and authorizations to upgrade and restore western water delivery and reuse systems and establishes a new Water Conveyance Improvement Program for non‑Federal conveyance projects. Reauthorizes and increases funding for water recycling/reuse and environmental restoration programs, requires the Bureau of Reclamation to identify and deauthorize long‑inactive federally authorized projects, and adds definitions and funding rules that change eligibility, cost shares, and expiration dates for several Reclamation authorities.