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2015 Federal Legislative Priorities
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The 2015 Federal Legislative Priorities for the Water Authority are summarized below. The Legislative Priorities are consistent with the prior year requests with modifications to reflect funding and updated status reports. The requests are divided into two sections, grant/authorization requests, and status reports.
Authorization Request
1. Water Reclamation and Recycling Authorization
The Water Authority's Reuse Program is part of the utility's comprehensive water management strategy to reduce sole reliance on the aquifer and transition to renewable supplies. The Water Authority is requesting the following provision be enacted by Congress:
(A) Authorization - The Secretary, in cooperation with the Water Authority is authorized to participate in the planning, design and construction of facilities up to $20,000,000 as federal share to reclaim and reuse wastewater and naturally impaired ground and surface water in the Albuquerque metropolitan area.
(B) Cost Share - The federal share of the cost of a project in subsection (a) shall not exceed twenty-five percent of the total cost.
(C) Limitation - The Secretary shall not provide funds for operation of maintenance of the facilities described in subsection (a).
The above authorization is critical for the Water Authority to move forward on an important sustainability project that will provide reuse of wastewater for irrigation and industrial use on the Westside, southeast heights, and Mesa del Sol developments. The Water Authority received notice in August 2012 that the Bureau of Reclamation reviewed and determined that the Water Authority's Title XVI feasibility study for the Tijeras and Bosque reuse project met the Title XVI eligibility criteria. The Water Authority expects to complete a NEPA evaluation of the project in 2015.
A. Tijeras Reuse Project. The Water Authority has been evaluating reuse and recycling opportunities on the southeast portion of ...
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