A group of senators has introduced the Support to Rehydrate the Environment, Agriculture and Municipalities, or STREAM, Act. The bill would increase water supply and modernize water infrastructure throughout the West.
The three senators, all from states affected by the current drought, include Sens. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.) and Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.).
“As the past two years have demonstrated, severe and prolonged drought is the stark reality for the West,” Feinstein said in a news release. “If we don’t take action now to improve our drought resilience, it’s only going to get worse. We need an ‘all of the above’ strategy to meet this challenge. That includes increasing our water supply, incentivizing projects that provide environmental benefits and drinking water for disadvantaged communities, and investing in environmental restoration efforts.”
California gets a lot of attention for the drought, but most states in the West are dealing with it also. And most of them are seeking to improve water ways, as well.
“As Arizona continues to navigate this historic drought, it’s more important than ever to build infrastructure that promotes a secure water future. This legislation will help Arizona and the west expand drought resiliency projects, increase groundwater storage, and better manage and conserve our water resources,” Kelly said in the release
Infrastructure improvements and additions work toward a long-term solution. And it’s important to think urgently, said the release.
“Our Stream Act builds on our bipartisan infrastructure law’s investments to modernize and increase Arizona’s water supply by strengthening the state’s water storage, recycling and desalination projects,” Sinema said in the release.
A one-page summary of the bill is available here.
The Stream Act includes provisions for each of its goals.
The act aims to improve the west’s water supply by authorizing $750 million for storage, $300 million for water recycling, $150 million for desalination, $100 million for drinking water for disadvantaged communities and $150 million in a new, low-interest loan program for water supply projects.
The act includes provisions for two other parts of its scope. Those provisions include financial incentives for storage and conveyance projects that enhance environmental benefits and expand drinking water access for disadvantaged communities. Funding for separate environmental restoration projects is included, as well.
Read more:
https://www.thepacker.com/news/industry/water-woes-hit-hard-southern-california
