On July 22, 2021, the U.S. Senate introduced the Water Reuse and Resiliency Act—a bill designed to help U.S. communities adopt water reuse by providing Federal assistance. The Act, which was introduced by Senators Alex Padilla (D-CA), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), and Jon Ossoff (D-GA) authorizes a total of $1 billion over five years for an U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) pilot grant program titled Alternative Water Source Grants Pilot Program.
Senator Padilla is quoted as saying, “Projects to modernize our water infrastructure have to be considered a national priority. This bill will boost funding for alternative water source projects that are key to improving our resiliency against drought.” The bill has the support of the following Associations and others: the California Association of Sanitation Agencies (CASA), Association of California Water Agencies (ACWA), National Association of Clean Water Agencies (NACWA), and the WateReuse Association. Patricia Sinicropi, Executive Director of the WateReuse Association, commented, “This legislation provides tools and investments to help communities address complex and evolving challenges through the adoption of water reuse.” A copy of the Act is available HERE.