Western senators propose wastewater program renewal

(The Center Square) – U.S. Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto, D-Nevada, has co-introduced bipartisan legislation to extend a federal $450 million water recycling grant for Western states until 2032.

The federal grant, signed by former President Joe Biden in 2021, has already allocated roughly $308 million on water recycling projects in Colorado River states. Without its renewal, the remaining nearly $150 million could go unspent.

“There is still $150 million in unused funds, and the authorization for the grant program is set to sunset this year,” the Office of Sen. Cortez Masto wrote, answering The Center Square’s questions by email. “Without the passage of her bipartisan Large-Scale Water Recycling Reauthorization Act, those funds – which have already been appropriated – face an uncertain future.”

The Large-Scale Water Recycling Project Grant Program funds are available to all Western states, but have only been granted to five programs in Utah and Southern California, totaling roughly $308 million.

If the pr...