Section 1 Short title
This Act may be cited as the “Every Drop Counts Act”.
Every Drop Counts Act
A BILL
To amend the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to increase surface water and groundwater storage, and for other purposes.
Sec. 2 Eligible water storage projects
In general— Subparagraph (B) of section 40903(b)(1) of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (43 U.S.C. 3203(b)(1)(B)) is amended to read as follows:
“(B) Eligible projects—The following projects shall be eligible for consideration for a grant under this section:
“(i) General acre-feet capacity—A project that—
“(I) has water storage capacity of not less than 200 acre-feet and not more than 30,000 acre-feet; and
“(II)
“(aa) increases surface water or groundwater storage; or
“(bb) conveys water, directly or indirectly, to or from surface water or groundwater storage.
“(ii) Average annual project life acre-feet capacity—A project that—
“(I) has water storage capacity of recharges not less than 200 acre-feet and not more than 150,000 acre-feet on an average annual basis over the life of the project for storage or use; and
“(II)
“(aa) increases groundwater aquifer storage;
“(bb) conveys water, directly or indirectly, to or recovers water from groundwater storage;
“(cc) both increases groundwater aquifer storage and conveys water, directly or indirectly, to or recovers water from groundwater storage; and
“(dd) stabilizes groundwater levels.”
Authority— Section 40903(e) of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (43 U.S.C. 3203(e)) is amended by striking “5” and inserting “10”.
Sec. 3 Statutory construction
Nothing in the amendment made by section 2 shall be construed—
to supersede or in any manner affect or conflict with State water law, Federal water law, interstate compacts, or treaty obligations;
to authorize any acquisition of water by the Federal Government; or
to supersede or infringe on any water rights.