WASHINGTON (October 31, 2024) — The Department of the Interior today announced a nearly $82 million investment from President Biden’s Investing in America agenda to bring clean, safe drinking water to Tribal communities in the West. The investment will fund 23 projects through a new program established through the Inflation Reduction Act—the largest climate investment ever.
Bureau of Reclamation Deputy Commissioner David Palumbo and Deputy Assistant Secretary for Water and Science Gary Gold made the announcement during a visit to San Carlos Apache Tribe in eastern Arizona, which is receiving $7.3 million to plan, design and obtain approvals and permits for a new raw water delivery and domestic drinking water treatment facilities for the San Carolos Regional Water System. The system serves the central portion of the reservation. Much of the population of the tribe resides in this area without access to safe and reliable drinking water. The area is prone to frequent water curtailments or shutdowns due to poor water quality and system mechanical failures, which often occur in the hot summer months.
President Biden’s Investing in America agenda is deploying record investments to provide affordable high-speed internet, safer roads and bridges, modern wastewater and sanitations systems, clean drinking water, reliable and affordable electricity, and good paying jobs in every Tribal community.
“Investing in water infrastructure projects is crucial to ensuring the health, safety and economic prosperity of Indigenous communities,” said Secretary Deb Haaland. “This new program, funded by the President’s Investing in America agenda, will help us ensure all Tribal families and communities have access to the clean, safe drinking water they need in order to thrive.”
“Through new resources provided through President Biden’s Investing in America Agenda, we are able to support our Tribal partners who have demonstrated a need and plan for providing or improving their domestic water systems,” said Deputy Commissioner David Palumbo. “This new program will help our Tribal partners ensure a basic necessity like clean, reliable drinking water is available in their communities.”
The Inflation Reduction Act includes $550 million for domestic water supply projects in historically disadvantaged communities. In April, Reclamation made $320 million available through Fiscal Year 2031 to provide up to 100% of the cost for planning, design and construction of domestic water supply projects to support disadvantaged communities or households lacking access to reliable domestic water supplies. Reclamation did significant outreach to Tribes in the 17 western states to engage them throughout this funding opportunity.
Twenty-one projects through today’s announcement were selected to receive funding for planning and design and two were selected to receive funding for construction. View a complete list of projects on Reclamation’s website.
This funding is also advancing President Biden’s Justice40 Initiative, which aims to ensure that 40 percent of the overall benefits of certain climate, clean energy, and other federal investments flow to disadvantaged communities marginalized by under investment and overburdened by pollution.