Bill orders federal study of regional water system for four Midwest states

What does this do?

S 3736 would require the Interior Department, through the Bureau of Reclamation, to study whether a large regional water supply project is workable. The project would deliver drinking water and water for farms, businesses, and industry to parts of South Dakota, Iowa, Nebraska, and Minnesota. The bill does not build anything; it only pays for a study and a report.

Who does it affect?

Residents, farms, and businesses in the four-state service area could someday get a new water source if the project is later approved and built. The study would be done with the nonprofit Dakota Mainstem Regional Water System, Inc., and the government would consult federal, state, tribal, regional, and local authorities.

Why does it matter?

Nothing in the bill guarantees the project will be built; that would take a separate decision by Congress later. The public report would inform that decision by addressing whether the project is technically and financially workable and how much of the construction cost the nonprofit should cover.

What does it cost, and who pays?

• Federal share capped at half
• $10 million federal maximum
• Funding source due in 90 days