Rj,In August, the Senate passed our bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act — the strongest investment in America’s critical infrastructure in a generation — with a vote of 69-30. I recently told you about the historic $110 billion investment in roads, bridges, and major transportation projects included in our plan. And there’s so much more, including historic investments to help secure Arizona’s water future.I successfully worked to include in our legislation crucial funding for Western Water Infrastructure, supporting Western states facing severe drought, and strengthening critical water systems and drought resiliency across Arizona.
The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act directs $8.3 billion to building and strengthening water infrastructure throughout the American West, including for aging infrastructure, water storage, water recycling and reuse, desalination, drought contingency plans, and dam safety. These resources would be available to Arizona communities, tribes, and utilities handling major water projects — including counties confronting loss of ground water, such as Pinal County. In Arizona, this funding includes $300 million for water reclamation operations under the Colorado River Drought Contingency Plan — specifically $250 million to create or conserve 100,000 acre feet of water annually at Lake Mead.
This legislation also invests $23.4 billion in expanding and strengthening drinking water, wastewater, and stormwater systems. I’m proud to have secured a provision funding ten water projects in the lower Colorado River Basin, which includes Arizona.
Our Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act also provides all necessary funding to complete all currently-authorized Indian Water Rights Settlements — including the Southern Arizona Indian Water Rights Settlement with the Tohono O’odham Nation, the Gila River Indian Community Water Rights Settlement, and the White Mountain Apache Tribe’s Water Rights Settlement. And, on an issue that directly impacts southern Arizona, our legislation invests an historic $15 billion for lead replacement and $10 billion to address Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) contamination, ensuring clean drinking water for Arizona.
Sincerely,
Kyrsten