Every Drop Counts Act Expands Federal Grants for Local Water Storage and Extends Program to 2031

The Every Drop Counts Act is a practical update to the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act designed to get more water projects off the ground. By broadening the criteria for federal grants, the bill moves away from a one-size-fits-all approach that often favors massive dams, instead opening the door for smaller, localized infrastructure. Specifically, it expands eligibility to projects with a capacity as low as 200 acre-feet—roughly the amount of water needed to cover 200 acres in a foot of water—and doubles the program's lifespan from five years to ten. This gives local districts and municipalities a decade-long window to plan and secure funding for projects that actually fit their specific geography.

Filling the Underground Savings Account

One of the most significant shifts in this bill is the new focus on groundwater recharge. Section 2 creates a dedicated category for projects that pump or seep water back into aquifers, provided they can handle an average of 200 to 150,000 acre-feet annually. For a farmer in a drought-prone valley or a suburban developer in an area with sinking water tables, this is a big deal. Instead of just letting storm runoff flow away, these provisions encourage building the infrastructure to store that water underground. It treats our aquifers like a savings account, incentivizing projects that stabilize water levels so there is a reliable backup when the next dry spell hits.

Scaling Down for Local Impact

By lowering the eligibility threshold to 200 acre-feet, the bill acknowledges that smaller projects can have a major cumulative impact. For a small town or a local irrigation district, a 30,000 acre-foot reservoir might be overkill or too expensive, but a smaller surface pond or a series of recharge basins might be exactly what they need. This change means your local water board doesn't have to be a major metropolitan agency to compete for federal tax dollars. It allows for a more surgical approach to water management, where small-scale solutions can be tailored to fix specific local shortages without the bureaucratic footprint of a massive regional project.

Respecting the Rules of the Road

Water rights are notoriously complicated, often involving century-old agreements and complex state laws. Section 3 of the bill acts as a legal firewall, explicitly stating that these new federal grants cannot be used to override state water laws, interstate compacts, or existing treaties. It also clarifies that the federal government isn't using this funding to sneakily acquire new water rights for itself. For anyone whose livelihood depends on a specific water allotment—whether you're running a commercial car wash or a multi-generational ranch—this provision ensures that while the infrastructure might change, your underlying legal rights to the water remain untouched.