Thanks to the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, $179 million will be invested in water reuse projects across the American West. According to CleanTechnica, these projects will be centered in California and Utah, areas that often struggle with drought.
Projects receiving funding include water recycling in Los Angeles and Ventura, California, groundwater replenishment in Los Angeles, and water reuse initiatives in Washington County, Utah. These projects will help the areas have more options when it comes to their water supply and make that supply more resistant to drought.
This is a timely investment, indeed. As of 2022, the previous 22 years were the driest of the last 1,200 years in that geographic area, according to a UCLA study. At the worst points, cities have announced major cutbacks in water usage after massive heat waves caused serious illness and raised water demand.
A lack of water impacts these areas in major ways. Deb Haaland, Secretary of the Interior for the United States of America, said in a press release that "Water is essential to everything we do: feeding families, growing crops, powering agricultural businesses, sustaining wildlife and safeguarding Tribal subsistence practices." When people in drought-prone locations know they'll be able to feed their families and continue practices passed down over generations, they will be more likely to thrive.
More water could make the difference between their survival in those areas and having to relocate. When there's not enough water, the income from farms goes down at the same time that food prices rise. This can't go on long before people are forced to relocate just so they can afford to eat.
The government's major investment in water reclamation and better access to clean water for all also means that the country is taking climate change and the water crisis seriously. As Secretary Haaland explained, "It will take all of us working together to safeguard our communities and enhance water reliability."
The United States has been criticized for its failure to respond to climate change efficiently and effectively. While there are some reasons for this, like misinformation surrounding harmful fuel sources, initiatives like this show that lawmakers see the problems and are ready to tackle them, for the betterment of us all. Meanwhile, taking steps to save water every day allows us to invest on an individual level, too.
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