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S5352119th CongressWALLET

Desalination Reauthorization Act

Sponsored By: Senator Padilla, Alex [D-CA]

Introduced

Summary

Expand federal support for desalination projects and advanced pilot technologies. This bill would reauthorize and broaden desalination authorities, narrow which projects qualify to those tied to Reclamation States and ocean or brackish facilities, and create competitive grants to test next-generation desalination systems and brine treatments.

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  • Reclamation States and public water agencies: Limits eligibility to projects located in or primarily benefiting Reclamation States and requires ocean or brackish facilities. The Secretary could fund up to 25% of a project's total cost and would not be bound by a per-project dollar cap.
  • Researchers and technology developers: Establishes an Advanced Pilot Technology Grants program to test first-of-a-kind systems in realistic operating environments. All funded pilots must include rigorous technoeconomic analyses that estimate the levelized cost of water at full scale.
  • Project timing and cost-sharing: Sets a 15-year sunset for a specified subset of WIIN Act desalination projects measured from this bill's enactment and explicitly adds advanced pilot activities to allowable cost-sharing for studies.

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

3 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 1 costs, 1 mixed.

Federal help for Reclamation desalination

The bill would narrow which projects can get federal help. To qualify, a project would need to be in or mainly benefit a Reclamation State and involve an ocean or brackish desalination facility. Sponsors would need to provide at least 25% of planning, design, and construction costs. The Secretary would be able to pay up to 25% of a project's total cost and could not set a dollar cap on that participation. The bill would also make advanced pilot activities eligible for federal cost-sharing alongside studies.

Grants to test new desalination tech

The bill would create competitive grants for advanced pilot and first-of-a-kind desalination systems. Grants would fund testing in real operating environments and must show technical feasibility and performance. All funded pilots would need rigorous technoeconomic analyses that estimate the levelized cost of water at full scale. Grants would be subject to existing program rules in subsections (c) and (e) of the Water Desalination Act.

15-year end for some desalination projects

The bill would cause projects carried out under paragraph (2) of section 4(a) of the Water Desalination Act of 1996 to expire 15 years after this bill's enactment. After that date, those projects under that paragraph would no longer be authorized under that paragraph.

Sponsors & CoSponsors

Sponsor

Padilla, Alex [D-CA]

CA • D

Cosponsors

  • Sen. Cornyn, John [R-TX]

    TX • R

    Sponsored 8/6/2026

Roll Call Votes

No roll call votes available for this bill.

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