Western Water Recycling and Drought Relief Act

Western Water Recycling and Drought Relief Act

This bill amends the Reclamation Wastewater and Groundwater Study and Facilities Act to authorize the Department of the Interior to participate in the design, planning, and construction of recycled water system facilities in California in cooperation with:

• the cities of Benicia, Brentwood, Redwood City, Pleasanton, Hayward, Mountain View, Palo Alto, and Sunnyvale;
• the cities of Ceres, Modesto, and Turlock, the Del Puerto Water District, and Stanislaus County;
• the Dublin San Ramon Services District;
• the Santa Clara Valley Water District;
• the Central Contra Costa Sanitary District;
• the Delta Diablo;
• the Ironhouse Sanitary District;
• the Monterey Regional Water Pollution Control Agency;
• the San Jose Water Company; and
• the West Bay Sanitary District.

The bill also authorizes Interior to participate in the design, planning, and construction of recycled water system facilities in Hawaii in cooperation with Hawaii Water Service Company, Waikoloa.

The federal share of each project is limited to 25%.

Interior must: (1) enter into individual agreements with the Western Recycled Water Coalition participating agencies to fund such projects (as well as existing projects done in cooperation with the California cities of Palo Alto, Mountain View, Pittsburg, Antioch, Redwood City, and San Jose and the Delta Diablo Sanitation District, the North Coast County Water District, the South County Regional Wastewater Authority, and the Santa Clara Valley Water District); and (2) include in such agreements a provision for the reimbursement of design, planning, and construction costs, but may not provide funds for project operation and maintenance.

The bill increases the authorization of appropriations for the recycled water system facilities of: (1) Antioch and the Delta Diablo Sanitation District, and (2) the South County Regional Wastewater Authority and the Santa Clara Valley Water District.