(June 12, 2018) – The House of Representatives overwhelmingly passed its version of the 2018 Water Resources Development Act (WRDA), H.R. 8, last week, by a vote of 408 - 2.

WRDA legislation authorizes individual US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) water resources projects, and is considered a “must-pass” bill every two years.  H.R. 8 was crafted in a bipartisan manner with a focus on USACE project authorizations and procedures.  The bill includes language championed by NACWA and the WaterReuse Association to provide enhanced coordination between the USACE and local governments for stormwater management and local water resource management. 

The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee is expected to now shift its attention to a broader infrastructure proposal. This effort is not expected to include significant new infrastructure funding but could include water infrastructure provisions important to the clean water sector, such as those included in the Senate WRDA (S. 2800). The Senate version is set to come before the full Senate for a vote in the coming weeks. 

As the WRDA bill moves toward a floor vote in the Senate, and as the House and Senate bills are conferenced, NACWA will continue working to ensure that Association priorities and other key water infrastructure provisions are included in a final bill.  Please contact Jason Isakovic, NACWA’s Legislative Director, to discuss further.