Congressman Biggs Introduces the Colorado River Basin Water Security and Infrastructure Act

September 16, 2026 Press Release WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Andy Biggs (AZ-05) introduced the Colorado River Basin Water Security and Infrastructure Act to expand water supplies, accelerate critical infrastructure projects, and strengthen long-term water security throughout the Colorado River Basin. The landmark legislation comes as prolonged drought, historically low reservoir levels, and the failure of the Basin states to reach a long-term consensus agreement have created significant uncertainty about the future of the Colorado River. The bill focuses on increasing water supply by investing in water augmentation, storage, desalination, recycling, treatment, and conveyance infrastructure. “The goal of this legislation is simple: add new water, strengthen the Basin, and protect the farms, communities, and military installations that depend on the Colorado River,” said Congressman Biggs. “After the Basin states were unable to reach a long-term consensus agreement and the Bureau of Reclamation imposed significant new reductions on Lower Basin water deliveries for 2027 and 2028, it became more apparent than ever that Congress must pursue solutions that increase water supplies and provide greater long-term certainty.” If enacted into law, the Colorado River Basin Water Security and Infrastructure Act would: 1. Cut federal red tape so water projects get built faster. The bill exempts water‑supply projects from NEPA and imposes clear permitting deadlines. Agencies must make completeness decisions within 30 days and final decisions within 180 days. The bill also allows a wider range of feasibility and impact‑analysis studies to be used, so project sponsors do not have to redo years of engineering work. And for major federal projects, the bill provides congressional pre‑authorization, preventing the long delays that often occur while waiting for separate approval. Together, these reforms move projects from concept to construction without years of delay. 2. Create a federal program to build new water supply. The bill establishes a Basin‑wide Water Augmentation Fund and a generous 2:1 federal cost share , allowing states, Tribes, cities, utilities, and private partners to build desalination, reuse, storage, conveyance, aquifer recharge, salt cedar removal, and other supply‑side projects. This is the largest federal investment ever aimed directly at adding new water to the Colorado River system. 3. Launch major federal infrastructure projects across the Basin. The bill authorizes and accelerates federal construction in the Upper and Lower Basins. It includes: Restoring the Yuma Desalting Plant to full capacity. Binational desalination with Mexico to reduce U.S. treaty delivery obligations. California ocean‑discharge capture to convert wasted stormwater and wastewater into usable supply. Arizona and Nevada augmentation projects that move straight from feasibility to construction. Upper Basin development projects that increase reliable supply without reducing downstream deliveries. “My bill offers a path forward by investing in new water, modernizing critical infrastructure, and removing unnecessary federal barriers that can delay projects for years, continued Biggs. “Increasing the amount of water available to the Basin will bolster our single-family housing market, and strengthen food security, economic security, and national security throughout the American Southwest. Congress and the people we serve cannot simply wait for relief from the drought or conserve our way out of this crisis. We must think big, be leaders, and deliver real solutions that will bring relief for decades to come. I urge my colleagues to act quickly and send this legislation to the President’s desk.” Over the past several years, Congressman Biggs has worked to advance solutions that strengthen Arizona’s water security, improve existing infrastructure, develop new water supplies, and provide relief to communities and stakeholders affected by prolonged drought conditions and reductions in Colorado River water deliveries. Those efforts include: In March 2026, Congressman Biggs led Arizona’s Republican Members of Congress in submitting a formal comment letter to Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum expressing serious concerns about the Draft Environmental Impact Statement. In April 2026, Congressman Biggs co-led a letter with Congressman Greg Stanton (AZ-09) to Interior Secretary Doug Burgum and Office of Management and Budget Director Russell Vought, successfully urging the Bureau of Reclamation to release federal funds to address the ongoing drought across the Colorado River Basin. Reclamation announced they would release $450 million – $350 million of which will flow to Lower Basin States. Earlier this summer, Congressman Biggs led a letter to U.S. House leadership, urging the inclusion of funds in the recently introduced emergency funding package to address the increasingly dire condition of the Colorado River Basin. The funding would support water infrastructure, investments, upgrades, and long-term planning for the future of this vital resource. In addition to these efforts, Congressman Biggs worked behind the scenes meeting with federal, state, and local stakeholders to put Arizona in the best-possible position for this new framework. Read the text of the bill here . ###