Projects Take Off With Flowing Funds
There are thousands of water contracting opportunities on the horizon, with hundreds of billions of dollars in funding available to support all types of projects. In fact, the amount of funding currently available is historic. It was allocated by Congress, and it is there for the taking, but it must be claimed by 2026.
Federal conveyance programs have money to support reservoir and pipeline projects, with approximately $233 million currently available for public entities. The Dam Safety Program has about $127 million to support projects strengthening dams and providing safer emergency drainage channels and spillways. The WaterSMART program also has millions to support efforts to manage drought by increasing water supply through projects such as canal piping.
The Bipartisan Infrastructure bill provided the Bureau of Reclamation with a total of $8.3 billion for all types of water infrastructure projects, including rural water, water storage, conservation and conveyance, nature-based solutions, dam safety, water purification and reuse and desalination. Since 2021, that program has awarded almost $3 billion for 440 water-related projects, but the amount of available funding for new water projects is still unbelievably large.
Many state legislatures have also appropriated funding for water projects. Cities and counties are still budgeting funds for water-related initiatives, and it is all because America has critical water infrastructure needs that must be addressed.
City leaders in Aurora, Colorado, will oversee an initiative to build a 93,000-acre-foot reservoir with the capacity to provide water for 400,000 households. The effort is designed to meet the city’s growing water demand and provide droughtresistant water storage. The reservoir project carries a projected cost of $600 million. Four dams spanning approximately two miles in total length will be built, and a pipeline will connect the new reservoir to the nearby Spinney Mountain Reservoir
Officials at the water districts of Kane County and Washington County in Utah will soon launch a $36.8 million watershed project that will deliver new water resources for residents. The project calls for a new water storage reservoir designed to hold approximately 6,000 acre-feet of water. Kane County will benefit from improved efficiency of water delivery and Washington County will receive additional water supplies. When completed, the effort will also have created an opportunity to add a hydroelectric plant in the future. A second environmental study related to this project is underway and will be completed this year, so additional contracting opportunities will result.
Mary Scott Nabers is the president and CEO of Strategic Partnerships, Inc.
