The Department of the Interior, Washington, D.C., allocated more than $150 million dollars for water storage and conveyance projects in the Western U.S. through H.R.3684, the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.
According to Interior, the funding will bring clean, reliable drinking water to communities across the West through six water storage and conveyance projects. The projects in California, Colorado and Washington are expected to develop at least 1.7 million acre-feet of additional water storage capacity, enough water to support 6.8 million people for a year.
“In the wake of severe drought across the West, the department is putting funding from President Biden’s Investing in America agenda to work to provide clean, reliable drinking water to families, farmers and Tribes throughout the West,” says Secretary Deb Haaland. “Through the investments we’re announcing today, we will expedite essential water storage projects and provide increased water security to Western communities.”
Camille Calimlim Touton, Bureau of Reclamation commissioner, points out that sound water resource stewardship is a crucial part of society.
“Water is essential to every community – for feeding families, growing crops, powering agricultural businesses and sustaining wildlife,” says Touton. “Our investment in these projects will increase water storage capacity and lay conveyance pipeline to deliver reliable and safe drinking water and build resiliency for communities most impacted by drought.”
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