Bureau of Reclamation: Rural Water Program

Rural Water Program

Contact: Dan DuBray, (202) 513-0574

Introduction

In December 2006, the President signed P.L. 109-451, the Rural Water Supply Act of 2006. Title I of the Act authorized the establishment of the Rural Water Program to enable us to work with rural communities, including Tribes, throughout the West to assess rural water supply needs and to identify options to address those needs through appraisal and feasibility studies. The Act requires Reclamation to establish comprehensive programmatic criteria, including prioritization and eligibility criteria, as well as criteria to evaluate appraisal and feasibility studies.

Implementation

Reclamation is currently working on meeting the requirements of Title I of the Rural Water Act in order to implement the program. First, Reclamation is undertaking a rulemaking process, to develop programmatic criteria. Second, as required by the Act, Reclamation will complete an assessment of the status of authorized rural water supply projects and of other Federal programs that address rural water supply issues, to maximize coordination with those programs in order to most efficiently address the rural water supply needs in the West.

Funding

In FY 2009, the Administration is requesting $1 million to begin implementation of the program on a pilot basis. Reclamation anticipates that it would be able to support the funding for up to five appraisal investigations at this funding level.