S. 4962: Securing America's Water Supply Act

This bill would create a new office inside the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers focused on water supply, water conservation, and drought resiliency. The office would have to be set up within 180 days after the bill becomes law.

What the new office would do

The office would be led by a program manager who reports to senior Civil Works leadership in the Corps. It would be staffed by Corps personnel and given the administrative, technical, and budget support needed to carry out its work.

Its main job would be to help the Corps better manage water-related projects so they can support water supply needs and drought planning. In practical terms, that means the office would:

• Look for ways the Corps can use its existing authorities to support water supply, water conservation, and drought resiliency at water projects.
• Give the Corps, states, and non-federal partners information and guidance on current policies, and recommend new policies or guidance where needed.
• Help interpret and apply existing water-supply laws and rules, including laws governing water storage and surplus water contracts at Corps reservoirs.
• Help states and local or other non-federal partners access Corps programs, services, technical help, and financial assistance for water supply and drought-related efforts.
• Coordinate and help finish water supply reallocation studies and reports that are delayed, and speed up new ones.
• Serve as a liaison between the Corps and non-federal interests on studies, projects, and agreements related to water supply and drought resiliency.
• Support actions such as reallocating reservoir storage for municipal and industrial water use, entering surplus water contracts, adjusting project operations to conserve water, capturing stormwater, supporting aquifer recharge, and moving water between storage facilities when consistent with existing project purposes.
• Hold outreach and workshops to explain these authorities and opportunities to interested non-federal parties.
• Review budget requests so the Corps requests enough funding to carry out these water-supply-related tasks.
• Work with state, regional, and local planners to identify ways to increase water supplies, improve drought preparedness, and plan for alternative water sources.

Reporting requirement

Within 2 years, the Secretary of the Army would have to send Congress a report on:

• how the office was established and how staffing is going,
• how many staff are assigned to it, and
• the status, start date, estimated completion date, and major obstacles for each Corps water supply study or project underway at that time.

Relevant Companies

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