House Bill Would Invest Up to $750 Million in Wastewater Recycling Projects

HR 4099, which recently passed a House subcommittee, would create a new pool of money for 17 western states to use for new wastewater recycling capacity.

1 minute read

July 5, 2021, 11:00 AM PDT

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


Colorado River megadrought

TFoxFoto / Shutterstock

House representatives from California, Nevada, and Arizona have introduced H.R. 4099, the Large Scale Water Recycling Project Investment Act, "to create a water recycling grant program for large-scale projects in California and the other sixteen western states," according to a press release from Congresswoman Grace Napolitano (D-CA), which is one of the authors of the bill.

"H.R. 4099 establishes a competitive grant program within the Department of the Interior for large-scale water recycling projects that have a total estimated cost of at least $500 million. The legislation authorizes $750 million for the program through Fiscal Year 2027; projects must be within one of the Bureau of Reclamation's seventeen western states."

In an article for the Las Vegas Review-Journal, Blake Apgar reports that officials from the Southern Nevada Water Authority are supporting the bill for its potential to leave water in Lake Mead. The largest reservoir in the United States continues to break record low levels, triggering unprecedented drought contingency actions, including water supply reductions throughout the Western United States.

Thursday, June 24, 2021 in Congresswoman Grace F Napolitano

Aerial view of homes on green hillsides in Daly City, California.

Depopulation Patterns Get Weird

A recent ranking of “declining” cities heavily features some of the most expensive cities in the country — including New York City and a half-dozen in the San Francisco Bay Area.

April 10, 2024 - California Planning & Development Report

Aerial view of Oakland, California with bay in background

California Exodus: Population Drops Below 39 Million

Never mind the 40 million that demographers predicted the Golden State would reach by 2018. The state's population dipped below 39 million to 38.965 million last July, according to Census data released in March, the lowest since 2015.

April 11, 2024 - Los Angeles Times

A view straight down LaSalle Street, lined by high-rise buildings with an El line running horizontally over the street.

Chicago to Turn High-Rise Offices into Housing

Four commercial buildings in the Chicago Loop have been approved for redevelopment into housing in a bid to revitalize the city’s downtown post-pandemic.

April 10, 2024 - Chicago Construction News

Woman with long hair wearing Covid mask sitting on underground train station bench looking at her watch as subway train approaches in background at Hollywood/Western station in Los Angeles, California.

How California Transit Agencies are Addressing Rider Harassment

Safety and harassment are commonly cited reasons passengers, particularly women and girls, avoid public transit.

April 17 - The American Prospect

Nighttime view of wildfire in Los Angeles hills.

Significant Investments Needed to Protect LA County Residents From Climate Hazards

A new study estimates that LA County must invest billions of dollars before 2040 to protect residents from extreme heat, increasing precipitation, worsening wildfires, rising sea levels, and climate-induced public health threats.

April 17 - Los Angeles Times

Bird's eye view of oil field in New Mexico desert.

Federal Rule Raises Cost for Oil and Gas Extraction on Public Lands

An update to federal regulations raises minimum bonding to limit orphaned wells and ensure cleanup costs are covered — but it still may not be enough to mitigate the damages caused by oil and gas drilling.

April 17 - High Country News

News from HUD User

HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research

Call for Speakers

Mpact Transit + Community

New Updates on PD&R Edge

HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research

Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools

This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.

Planning for Universal Design

Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.