Bill > HB2055

This bill establishes a brackish groundwater recovery program, allowing the Water Infrastructure Finance Authority (WIFA) to use funds from the Long-Term Water Augmentation Fund to develop projects that create new sources of potable water from brackish groundwater, which is groundwater with a high salt content. It also creates a dedicated Brackish Groundwater Recovery Program Fund, which will receive legislative appropriations, federal funds, loan repayments, and other sources, and can be used to provide matching funds for the development and construction of qualifying brackish groundwater recovery and desalination projects. These projects must be located outside of initial active management areas, and the state will contribute no more than one dollar for every three dollars of total capital expenditures for a qualifying project, with only one project awarded per request for proposals. The WIFA will establish rules to govern the program, including criteria for project qualification, information required from bidders, and how proposals will be evaluated based on factors like cost-effectiveness, water supply reliability, and environmental impacts.

Agriculture and Natural Resources

https://apps.azleg.gov/BillStatus/BillOverview/83617