United StatesFederal grants could support pilot desalination and brine treatment systems
If approved, federal officials could share eligible desalination project costs and award competitive grants to test pilot systems for producing usable water and handling brine.
What it does
For an eligible desalination project, the Secretary may cover up to 25 percent of the total cost, with no dollar cap on the federal share.
Competitive grants would support pilot desalination systems tested in realistic settings, including systems that produce usable water or treat and manage brine. Required studies must estimate the cost of producing water at full scale.
The cost-sharing provision would include advanced pilot projects alongside studies.
Argument forPilot grants could help researchers test new ways to produce usable water and manage brine before projects are built at full scale.
Argument againstThe competitive grants and federal project shares could direct public money to costly technologies before their full-scale water costs are known.
More detail
The Secretary may pay up to 25 percent of an eligible desalination project's total cost. A project must meet the bill's definition of an eligible desalination project. The Secretary may not set a dollar cap on that federal share.
The Secretary shall provide competitive grants for advanced pilot desalination technologies and first-of-a-kind systems. The grants cover desalination systems using saline water, brackish water, seawater, or wastewater, and systems for handling brine discharges. The projects must be tested in realistic operating settings to check technical feasibility and performance, including water production and brine treatment, management, or disposal. Studies of each advanced pilot system must include quantitative analyses estimating the full-scale cost of the water it would produce.
Advanced pilot projects are included in the cost-sharing provision. This applies to advanced pilot projects under the Water Desalination Act of 1996 cost-sharing provision.
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Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed Senate
- Passed House
- To President
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2026
- Sep 30Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.Latest
- Sep 16Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Hearings held.
- Aug 6Introduced in Senate
- Aug 6Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. (Sponsor introductory remarks on measure: CR S4521)Introduced
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