This week the Biden Administration released its fiscal year 2023 budget and included full first-time funding for the Alternative Water Source Grants Pilot Program, the only nationwide water recycling grant program. The WateReuse Association held multiple meetings urging the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to fund the program and successfully led the push to reauthorize the program at $25 million per year in the recent Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021 (IIJA). WateReuse’s advocacy also helped ensure first-time funding for new Resiliency and Sustainability programs for Clean Water and Midsize and Large Drinking Water Infrastructure, and robust requests for other programs that support water recycling: the Small Drinking Water Infrastructure Resiliency and Sustainability Program, the Sewer Overflow and Stormwater Reuse Grants Program, and more. Next, Congress will consider the budget request as it drafts appropriations bills for FY23. WateReuse expects to see proposed spending bills later this spring, and will work closely with congressional champions, appropriators, and WateReuse members to ensure for the Alternative Water Source Grants Pilot Program is included. Any funding that is appropriated for FY23 through the normal appropriations process will come on top of and in addition to funding provided by the IIJA. Stay tuned for more information about how you can engage! |