Senators Introduce Bipartisan Advancing Water Reuse Act

On Wednesday, May 13, Senators Ben Ray Luján (D-NM) and Katie Britt (R-AL) introduced the Advancing Water Reuse Act, which proposes establishing a 30 percent investment tax credit to help manufacturers and other industrial entities scale up their use of recycled water in lieu of other freshwater supplies.

The Advancing Water Reuse Act is the Senate companion to H.R. 2940 in the U.S. House of Representatives, introduced by Representatives Darin LaHood (R-IL), Claudia Tenney (R-NY), Linda Sanchez (D-CA), and Brad Schneider (D-IL).

"Water is the fuel of our growing economy. Businesses need local, reliable, and cost-effective strategies that protect water resources for the communities in which they operate," said WateReuse Association executive director Bruno Pigott. "WateReuse Association applauds Senators Britt and Luján for introducing legislation to unleash the potential of industrial water reuse for the American economy."

Industry and manufacturing account for the second-biggest draw on American water supplies, after agriculture. Reusing water is a promising solution that currently offsets only a fraction of industrial water demands. The legislation introduced by Senators Britt and Lujan will help ensure that businesses have long-term, reliable water supplies and that community water resources are protected.

Industrial water reuse is an effective and efficient process for treating water to meet specific quality standards for an intended end use. This water can originate in the same facility that captures, treats, and reuses it, which is known as onsite reuse; or, it can be supplied through a public-private partnership by municipalities that treat recycled water.

By incentivizing investments in water reuse, the Advancing Water Reuse Act will protect water quality by limiting discharges of industrial effluent, reduce demand on freshwater supplies, and catalyze business development and job growth.

This legislation is supported by a broad coalition of organizations, including the WateReuse Association, U.S. Chamber of Commerce, National Association of Clean Water Agencies, National Association of Manufacturers, Water Environment Federation, National Rural Water Association, Association of Metropolitan Water Agencies, and more.