Bill > HB2169

This bill establishes a comprehensive state policy to encourage water reuse in Oregon by creating an interagency water reuse team led by the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ). The team will include representatives from the Water Resources Department, Oregon Health Authority, State Department of Agriculture, and State Department of Fish and Wildlife, with the goal of expanding water reuse opportunities while protecting public health and the environment. The team's responsibilities include providing training and education about water reuse, identifying and resolving internal agency barriers, evaluating successful water reuse approaches from other states, proposing regulatory changes, improving interagency collaboration, developing technical assistance guidance, and establishing performance metrics for water reuse development. The bill requires DEQ to submit a biennial report to legislative committees describing progress toward water reuse goals, with the reporting requirement set to expire on January 2, 2032. The bill contains an emergency clause, making it effective on July 1, 2025, and emphasizes the state's commitment to overcoming institutional, regulatory, and funding constraints that may hinder water reuse initiatives.

Agriculture and Natural Resources, Budget and Finance

https://olis.oregonlegislature.gov/liz/2025R1/Measures/Overview/HB2169