Introduction of Water Supply Infrastructure and Rehabilitation Act

Floor Speech

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Mr. NEWHOUSE. Madam Speaker, I rise today to introduce the Water Supply Infrastructure and Rehabilitation Act. This legislation will help address the need for the new storage, conveyance, and recycling projects necessary to increase our drought resilience and provide the water security required to meet the needs of our agricultural economy and our local communities.

As a farmer, former state Director of Agriculture, and now a Congressman representing one of the most flourishing agricultural regions in America, I fully understand how important it is that we reinvest in the water infrastructure our farms and communities were built upon--much of which is over a century old at this point. I have made it a priority to address these important issues for Central Washington, and for rural communities across the West, that have Bureau of Reclamation projects in their regions.

That is why I am introducing this legislation--to help local water managers access the funds they need to repair and rebuild aging facilities and ensure our existing surface storage facilities are operating as efficiently as possible.

The Water Supply Infrastructure Rehabilitation and Utilization Act addresses the Bureau of Reclamation's (BOR) maintenance backlog at water supply infrastructure projects. Since 1902, BOR has constructed dams, hydropower plants, canals, and irrigation conveyances to provide for our water needs. Far too much of this infrastructure is in serious need of maintenance and repair. My legislation creates a streamlined process, so local water operators can initiate maintenance projects with extended repayment through a much more clearly-defined application and review process. Local users need this flexibility to access these resources--this bill will help them do just that.

Earlier this year, Central Washington crossed one of the most significant hurdles for water needs in our region when President Trump signed my legislation into law authorizing the next phase of the Yakima Project. It was a momentous occasion and a testament to the many collaborative efforts and stakeholders in the Yakima Valley. But as many of us know, authorization is only the key first step.

Next comes--what some would say is--the even more difficult part: securing the resources and the funding to actually implement those projects authorized. I have been working on the Yakima Project for much of my career, and this bill will create an easier, more-streamlined process to access the funds for this desperately needed infrastructure in Central Washington.

This legislation also strengthens the ``Safety of Dams'' program to improve structural integrity of dams across the U.S. In Central Washington, we are no stranger to the benefits dams provide for irrigation districts and the agricultural industry. Like much of our nation's infrastructure, dams are aging and require regular maintenance and upkeep. The ``Safety of Dams'' program is important for ensuring all BOR dams across the country continue to operate safely and efficiently--from the Grand Coulee Dam down to the Sunnyside, Prosser, and Roza Diversion dams. The Yakima Project alone has five storage dam and reservoirs, including Bumping Lake, Clear Creek, Tieton, Cle Elum, Kachess, and Keechelus. Washington's 4th District truly is at the epicenter of need for ensuring the stability of BOR dam infrastructure, and this program is responsible for funding any updates or maintenance to these dams. However, BOR expects to reach their current statutory cap on the program in the next two years. My bill will increase the authorization of this program to meet BOR's projected funding needs for the future workload to ensure water users in regions like Central Washington can continue to enjoy the benefits of dams, large and small, that all make our way of life possible.

Finally, the legislation creates a pilot program to give more flexibility to reservoir operators. Communities across the West know the impacts of droughts all too well. This bill allows local operators to temporarily store water in dedicated flood control space during certain low-risk times of the year. By addressing the maintenance backlog at our water supply projects, strengthening the structural integrity of our water infrastructure, and providing flexibility for water storage to best equip our communities in times of drought, we can secure the resources required to address the current and future water needs for the Yakima Valley and for water needs across the West. I encourage all of my colleagues to support the Water Supply Infrastructure and Rehabilitation Act. I look forward to pushing for its passage here in the House and for its companion legislation, led by Senator Martha McSally, in the United States Senate.

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