[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 30 (Thursday, March 8, 2001)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2075-S2076]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. CAMPBELL:
  S. 491. A bill to amend the Reclamation Wastewater and Groundwater

[[Page S2076]]

Study and Facilities Act to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to 
participate in the design, planning, and construction of the Denver 
Water Reuse project; to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
  Mr. CAMPBELL. Mr. President, I take this opportunity to reintroduce a 
bill that will help millions of water consumers throughout my home 
state of Colorado. My bill, the Denver Water Reuse Project, is based on 
legislation I previously introduced in the last Congress. The full 
Senate passed this legislation last year, but time ran out in the 106th 
Congress before the House could act.
  The Denver Water Department has developed a plan to re-use non-
potable water for irrigation and industrial uses. In the arid West, 
where growing populations and changing values are placing increasing 
demands on existing water supplies, water availability remains an 
important issue throughout the West. Recent conflicts are particularly 
apparent where agricultural needs for water are often in direct 
conflict with urban needs. This legislation will help remedy some of 
this conflict.
  The State of Colorado, the Colorado Water Congress, the Denver Board 
of Water Commissioners, and the Mayor of Denver endorsed this 
legislation last year. I am pleased to assist these interested parties 
with this worthwhile proposal.
  The Denver Water Department serves over a million customers and is 
one of the largest water suppliers in the Rocky Mountain region. Over 
the past several years Denver Water has developed a plan to treat and 
re-use some of its water supply for uses not involving human 
consumption. In this manner, Denver will stretch its water supply 
without the cost and potential environmental disruption of building new 
projects. It will also ease the demand on fresh drinking-quality water 
supplies.
  The Denver Water Reuse Project will treat secondary wastewater which 
is water that has already been used once in Denver's system. It is an 
environmentally and economically viable method for extending and 
conserving our limited water supplies. The water quality will meet all 
Colorado and federal standards. The water will still be clean and 
odorless, but since it will be used for irrigation and industrial uses 
around the Denver International Airport and the Rocky Mountain Wildlife 
Refuge, the additional expense to treat it for consumption will be 
avoided.
  In the West, naturally scarce water supplies and increasing urban 
populations have increased our need for water re-use, recycling, 
conservation, and storage proposals. These are all keys to successfully 
meet the water needs of everyone. This plan would benefit many 
Coloradans, and would help relieve many of the water burdens faced in 
the Denver region. Again, I'd like to thank the interested parties for 
their support, and I am hopeful this bill can be quickly passed and put 
into effect.
  I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill and a copy of the 
letter of support from the Mayor of Denver be printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in 
the Record, as follows:

                                 S. 491

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. DENVER WATER REUSE PROJECT.

       (a) In General.--The Reclamation Wastewater and Groundwater 
     Study and Facilities Act (43 U.S.C. 390h et seq.) is 
     amended--
       (1) by redesignating sections 1631, 1632, 1633, and 1634 
     (43 U.S.C. 390h-13, 390h-14, 390h-15, 390h-16) as sections 
     1632, 1633, 1634, and 1635, respectively; and
       (2) by inserting after section 1630 the following:

     ``SEC. 1631. DENVER WATER REUSE PROJECT.

       ``(a) Authorization.--The Secretary, in cooperation with 
     the appropriate State and local authorities, may participate 
     in the design, planning, and construction of the Denver Water 
     Reuse project to reclaim and reuse water in the service area 
     of the Denver Water Department of the city and county of 
     Denver, Colorado.
       ``(b) Cost Share.--The Federal share of the cost of the 
     project described in subsection (a) shall not exceed 25 
     percent of the total cost.
       ``(c) Limitation.--Funds provided by the Secretary shall 
     not be used for the operation or maintenance of the project 
     described in subsection (a).''.
       (b) Conforming Amendments.--
       (1) The Reclamation Wastewater and Groundwater Study and 
     Facilities Act (as amended by subsection (a)(1)) is amended--
       (A) in section 1632(a), by striking ``1630'' and inserting 
     ``1631'';
       (B) in section 1633(c), by striking ``section 1633'' and 
     inserting ``section 1634''; and
       (C) in section 1634, by striking ``section 1632'' and 
     inserting ``section 1633''.
       (2) The table of contents in section 2 of the Reclamation 
     Projects Authorization and Adjustment Act of 1992 is amended 
     by striking the items relating to sections 1631 through 1634 
     and inserting the following:

``Sec. 1631. Denver water reuse project.
``Sec. 1632. Authorization of appropriations.
``Sec. 1633. Groundwater study.
``Sec. 1634. Authorization of appropriations.
``Sec. 1635. Willow Lake natural treatment system project.''.
                                  ____



                                          Office of the Mayor,

                                        Denver, CO, March 5, 2001.
     Hon. Ben Nighthorse Campbell,
     U.S. Senator, Russell Senate Office Building, Washington, DC.
       Dear Senator Campbell: Once again, I want to express my 
     appreciation for your support of legislation adding the 
     Denver Water Non-potable Reuse Project to the Bureau of 
     Reclamation's approved projects list.
       We are proud to include non-potable reuse, coupled with 
     water conservation and system refinements, as core components 
     of the Denver Water 20-year plan. We certainly acknowledge 
     the importance and value of our limited water resources 
     throughout Colorado. Reuse efforts allow us to reduce or 
     minimize the Denver metro area's demands on limited Colorado 
     River sources.
       Once again, thank you for your support.
           Yours truly,
                                               Wellington E. Webb,
                                                            Mayor.
                                 ______