Drinking WATER Act would fund $250 million for important research

May 13, 2009

Washington, D.C. – Nevada Senator Harry Reid, along with Senators Dianne Feinstein and Barbara Boxer of California, today introduced the Drinking Water Adaptation, Technology, Education and Research (WATER) Act.

The bill would authorize $25 million annually for 10 years to research how climate change impacts drinking water supplies and infrastructure and methods of mitigating and adapting to these impacts.  This is especially important for Nevada, given declining Lake Mead water levels and drought impacts.

Climate change has already had a significant impact on water supplies in some regions.  Changes in precipitation and water availability are causing extended droughts, threatening to disrupt quality of life, regional economies, and entire ecosystems. The 27 million people in seven states who rely on the Colorado River face some of the gravest risks if prudent steps are not taken to understand, mitigate, and adapt to climate change’s effects on water supply.

“The impacts of climate change on our world, especially here in the American West, are unmistakable,” Reid said. “In order to combat these negative effects, we must be able to quantify the damage and create the most efficient and intelligent solutions that protect both our quality of life and our natural treasures.”

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