WASHINGTON — On Tuesday, the House passed The Thomas R. Carper Water Resources Development Act of 2024 (WRDA). WRDA authorizes the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Civil Works Program for projects to improve the nation’s ports and harbors, inland waterway navigation, flood and storm protection, and other aspects of our water resources infrastructure. This measure represents the final version of WRDA, as negotiated over recent months to reconcile the two different versions passed earlier this year by the House and Senate. WRDA legislation has been signed into law in each of the previous five Congresses.
“I am proud to have helped secure the City of Tucson’s $30 million authorization for their Southlands Recycled Water Loop in the Water Resources Development Act of 2024,” said Rep. Grijalva. “This bicameral and bipartisan effort demonstrates our commitment to addressing Arizona’s water, environmental, and infrastructure needs to ensure a sustainable future for all. Not only is the City of Tucson navigating these challenges, but they are setting a national example for water reuse. I am grateful for the timely investments and local solutions that WRDA will provide to countless communities in our country.”
“Representative Grijalva has always championed sustainable growth in Southern Arizona. The Thomas R. Carper Water Resources Development Act of 2024sets the stage for future federal investments in projects like the Southlands Recycled Water Loop, helping Tucson continue to lead in water conservation and resilience,” said City of Tucson Mayor Regina Romero.
Background: Tucson’s Southlands Recycled Water Loop
The City of Tucson was one of the first cities in the country to utilize recycled water in the form of treated effluent for irrigation and non-potable uses to offset the use of groundwater. Tucson’s Reclaimed Water System has grown to deliver approximately 14,000 acre-feet per year of recycled water through approximately 200 miles of pipelines. Through this Environmental Infrastructure project, Tucson will perform a pipeline route study and then proceed to design and construction to expand its Reclaimed Water System to the southern portion of its service area (known locally as the Southlands), where large industrial water users are siting their factories, new housing developments will be creating common space areas to promote increased urban tree canopy, and where the community is in desperate need of additional functional turf areas to support the community’s commitment to youth and active adult recreation.
More information on WRDA 2024 can be found here.