By Aidan Mortensen | KOAL News
Established in 2021 under the Biden administration, the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act created a Large-Scale Water Recycling Project Grant Program. With the program set to expire in 2026, Sen. John Curtis (R-Utah) and Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) have introduced legislation to extend the program for another five years, through 2032.
“For the millions that rely upon the Colorado River Basin, water scarcity is a daily reality,” said Curtis. “Large-scale water recycling is one of the most effective, forward-looking tools we have to stretch limited supplies, support growing communities, and protect our environment. Extending this bipartisan program will help states like Utah and our neighbors in the West invest in reliable, innovative water solutions that strengthen our economy and secure our water future.”
Initially, the program allocated $450 million in grants. As of 2026, approximately $150 million remains to be distributed. The extension of the program would allow more grants to fund large-scale water reuse infrastructure.
“In the Colorado River Basin, we know all too well that water conservation is critically important,” said Cortez Masto. “My Large-Scale Water Recycling Project Grant Program has been a vital tool for saving water, mitigating drought, and reducing strain on Lake Mead. It’s time to extend this program so it can continue providing water to homes and businesses throughout the Southwest.”
This bill comes at a time when drought is ravaging the state, with poor snowpack early in the winter and 94% of the state currently under drought conditions. This includes the Castle Country, with Carbon and Emery counties experiencing severe to extreme drought.
Water reuse and conservation are at the forefront of states within the Colorado River Basin, as ongoing negotiations over the Colorado River Compact loom large over water users.
“We are all looking for ways to reduce our reliance on the Colorado River, and Reclamation’s Large-Scale Water Recycling Grant Program helps advance projects that do just that. With a required local funding match of $3 for every $1 of Reclamation funds, this federal investment can go a long way toward building a sustainable water supply for the Western United States,” said Shivaji Deshmukh, General Manager, Metropolitan Water District of Southern California.
Currently, the bill sits in the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources while companion legislation has been introduced in the House of Representatives by Congresswoman Susie Lee (D-Nev.-03) and Congressman Juan Ciscomani (R-Ariz.-06).