Gallego Introduces Bill to Strengthen Water Storage Infrastructure

WASHINGTON –Today,Senator Ruben Gallego (D-AZ)introduced theWater Security and Drought Resilience Actto strengthen our country’s drought preparedness and recovery infrastructure.Senators Alex Padilla (D-CA)andMark Kelly (D-AZ)co-sponsored the bill.
“In Arizona, water is everything. This bill helps us build the water storage infrastructure we need to withstand droughts and make sure communities across our state have reliable access to water,”said Senator Gallego.“Being able to store, move, and use water efficiently is essential to our Arizona’s future.”
“Californians are all too familiar with devastating long-term droughts, and as the climate crisis worsens, we must make investments in resilient water infrastructure now to protect our communities from the next mega drought,”said Senator Padilla.“I am pleased to work with Senator Gallego to reauthorize the small storage program with particular emphasis on groundwater storage and to authorize natural infrastructure projects that store water for the environment and for downstream farms and cities’ use.”
“As Arizona faces a historic drought, we can’t afford to miss chances to manage our water carefully and responsibly,”said Senator Kelly.“By expanding eligibility for existing federal funding, water storage projects can move forward and help communities across the Valley build long-term drought resilience. That means more security for families, businesses, and communities that rely on Arizona’s water systems.”
TheWater Security and Drought Resilience Actwould strengthen water storage programs in Arizona and across the country by:
Read the full billHERE.