Bill Overview
Title: Facilitating Large-Scale Water Recycling and Reuse Projects Act
Description: This bill modifies the Bureau of Reclamation's Large-Scale Water Recycling Program, which provides grants to water and power delivery authorities in certain western states for the planning, design, and construction of large-scale water recycling and reuse projects that have a total cost of $500 million or more. Specifically, the bill removes the program's sunset provision and revises eligibility requirements.
Sponsors: Sen. Cortez Masto, Catherine [D-NV]
Target Audience
Population: People reliant on water supplies in water-scarce regions worldwide
Estimated Size: 70000000
- The Bureau of Reclamation serves primarily in the Western United States where water scarcity is a significant issue.
- Large-scale water recycling and reuse projects address water shortage, which impacts agriculture, energy production, and municipal supply.
- The goal of facilitating such projects is typically to secure and sustain water supplies for both current and future demand in these regions.
- Water scarcity impacts several sectors involving millions of people, especially in arid and semi-arid areas.
- By removing the sunset provision and revising eligibility, more projects can potentially be initiated or continued.
Reasoning
- The policy targets areas with significant water scarcity issues, mainly impacting residents in the Western U.S. states such as California, Arizona, and Nevada.
- The cost of these projects, $500 million or more, suggests large-scale infrastructure that will primarily benefit urban regions but also aid agriculture and energy production.
- The policy changes will allow continued or new projects, providing resilience against drought, which is frequent in these areas.
- Considering the budget constraints, only a subset of potentially useful projects will be initiated, impacting populations variably across these regions.
- The Western states make up a crucial part of the U.S. economy, primarily due to their agricultural output need and urban water demand.
- While some residents may not see immediate changes, over time, water supply stability should contribute positively to their wellbeing.
Simulated Interviews
Farmer (Los Angeles, CA)
Age: 45 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 20.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The water recycling projects are crucial for sustaining my farm.
- Without stable water supplies, it's hard to plan for the future.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 4 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 4 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 3 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 3 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 2 |
Water Resource Engineer (Phoenix, AZ)
Age: 30 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 7/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The increased funding is a great opportunity for us to expand our recycling processes.
- This policy is a step forward in addressing our long-term water concerns.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 5 |
Retired (Las Vegas, NV)
Age: 65 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 4
Duration of Impact: 15.0 years
Commonness: 8/20
Statement of Opinion:
- We've felt the pinch of water scarcity for years, so this news is quite uplifting.
- Hope we can finally stop worrying about water availability.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 4 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 3 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 3 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 2 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 1 |
Small Business Owner (San Diego, CA)
Age: 52 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 9/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This will alleviate a lot of the stress we face during the droughts.
- Our city needs better water management to support businesses like mine.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 4 |
College Student (Santa Fe, NM)
Age: 27 | Gender: other
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 12/20
Statement of Opinion:
- It's encouraging to see investment in our water future.
- This policy could provide job opportunities in my field.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 5 |
Civil Engineer (Las Vegas, NV)
Age: 40 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This could improve the efficiency of existing water systems.
- There are many old systems that need upgrading to cope with the water demand.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 4 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 4 |
Rancher (Tucson, AZ)
Age: 55 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 3
Duration of Impact: 20.0 years
Commonness: 6/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This policy couldn't have come at a better time.
- My cattle and livelihood depend on reliable water sources.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 4 | 3 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 3 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 2 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 2 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 2 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 1 |
Graduate Student (Salt Lake City, UT)
Age: 23 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Happy to see governmental support for environmental sustainability.
- It's crucial for our water conservation efforts.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 5 |
City Planner (Sacramento, CA)
Age: 34 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 15.0 years
Commonness: 8/20
Statement of Opinion:
- We have a chance to implement projects that benefit the city in the long term.
- These projects are great, but we also need public support to succeed fully.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 4 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 4 |
Healthcare Worker (Reno, NV)
Age: 60 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 4
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 9/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Water scarcity affects health care, especially in rural communities.
- The policy needs to reach all communities, not just urban centers.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 4 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 3 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 3 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 2 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $1000000000 (Low: $800000000, High: $1200000000)
Year 2: $1000000000 (Low: $800000000, High: $1200000000)
Year 3: $1000000000 (Low: $800000000, High: $1200000000)
Year 5: $1000000000 (Low: $800000000, High: $1200000000)
Year 10: $1000000000 (Low: $800000000, High: $1200000000)
Year 100: $1000000000 (Low: $800000000, High: $1200000000)
Key Considerations
- Long-term benefits due to increased water security which supports sustained agriculture and urban development.
- Gradual increase in water availability leading to reduced economic disruptions linked to water scarcity.
- The upfront cost is significant but aligned with large-scale infrastructure project funding requirements.