Every Drop Counts Act
The Every Drop Counts Act would modify the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to expand and clarify which water storage projects are eligible for grants. It sets specific size ranges and project-type criteria for storage projects, emphasizing both surface water and groundwater storage, including projects that increase storage or convey water to and from storage. A key feature is a focus on groundwater storage and stabilization of groundwater levels. The bill also adjusts a numeric threshold in the underlying statute and includes standard protections that federal action should not override state water law or water rights, nor authorize outright federal acquisition of water. In short, the bill aims to broaden and specify which storage projects can qualify for federal grants under the IIJA, with particular emphasis on groundwater storage and stabilization, while preserving existing water-rights protections and state/federal law boundaries.
Key Points
- 1Eligible water storage projects: The bill defines two categories for grant eligibility:
- 2- General acre-feet capacity (200–30,000 acre-feet) that either increases surface water or groundwater storage or conveys water to/from storage.
- 3- Average annual project life acre-feet capacity (200–150,000 acre-feet per year on average) that increases groundwater aquifer storage, conveys water to/from groundwater storage, or both, and also helps stabilize groundwater levels.
- 4Emphasis on groundwater and storage conveyance: The act explicitly supports projects that store water underground or move water into or out of storage facilities, and it includes a criterion to help stabilize groundwater levels.
- 5Section 40903(e) threshold change: The bill alters a numeric provision by replacing the number 5 with 10, though the exact practical effect depends on the specific provision’s role in the statute (e.g., funding caps, project counts, or other limits within that section).
- 6Statutory protections: The amendment adds language to ensure the changes do not override state water law, interstate compacts, or treaty obligations; it does not authorize federal acquisition of water; and it does not infringe on water rights.
- 7Title and sponsorship: The bill is titled the “Every Drop Counts Act,” introduced in the House in January 2025 and referred to the Committee on Natural Resources.