S. 3120: Ensuring Predictable and Reliable Water Deliveries Act of 2025

This bill, titled the Ensuring Predictable and Reliable Water Deliveries Act of 2025, focuses on regulating the relationship between the United States and Mexico regarding water deliveries as stipulated by an existing treaty. Here’s what the bill aims to do:

Reporting Requirements

The Secretary of State will be required to submit a report to Congress within 180 days of the bill's enactment and then annually thereafter. This report must cover:

• Whether Mexico has delivered at least 350,000 acre-feet of water to the United States in the previous calendar year.
• An assessment of whether Mexico can deliver a total of 1,750,000 acre-feet of water by the end of a five-year cycle described in the treaty.
• Identification of key economic sectors in Mexico that depend on specific irrigation districts benefiting from U.S. water deliveries or water that Mexico is obligated to provide as per the treaty.

Limitations on Engagement with Mexico

If the report indicates that Mexico did not meet the water delivery requirements, the President of the United States must:

• Deny all non-treaty requests from Mexico for assistance or resources.
• Limit or terminate engagements with Mexico in the sectors that rely on the irrigation water, although this does not include engagements aimed at combating the flow of certain drugs into the United States.

Exceptions for Non-Treaty Requests

There are conditions under which a non-treaty request from Mexico could still be fulfilled even if the water delivery obligations were not met. These exceptions require that:

• The water supplied will only be used for immediate ecological, environmental, or humanitarian emergencies.
• The water cannot be used for municipal, industrial, regular supply needs, infrastructure deficiencies, or maintenance work.
• Meeting the request must be deemed crucial for U.S. national interests.

Definitions

The bill includes definitions for key terms, such as:

• Appropriate committees of Congress: This refers to the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations and the House Committee on Foreign Affairs.
• Non-Treaty request: This refers to emergency requests for special water delivery channels as defined by established International Boundary and Water Commission minutes.

Overall Purpose

The intent of the bill is to ensure that Mexico complies with its treaty obligations regarding water delivery to the United States, and it seeks to limit cooperation with Mexico until it meets these obligations. By ensuring reliable water deliveries, the bill aims to protect U.S. interests related to water supply and management.

Relevant Companies

• None found