[House Report 108-364]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]



108th Congress                                                   Report
                        HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
 1st Session                                                    108-364

======================================================================



 
             WILLIAMSON COUNTY WATER RECYCLING ACT OF 2003

                                _______
                                

 November 17, 2003.--Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on 
            the State of the Union and ordered to be printed

                                _______
                                

  Mr. Pombo, from the Committee on Resources, submitted the following

                              R E P O R T

                        [To accompany H.R. 1732]

      [Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office]

  The Committee on Resources, to whom was referred the bill 
(H.R. 1732) to amend the Reclamation Wastewater and Groundwater 
Study and Facilities Act to authorize the Secretary of the 
Interior to participate in the Williamson County, Texas, Water 
Recycling and Reuse Project, and for other purposes, having 
considered the same, report favorably thereon without amendment 
and recommend that the bill do pass.

                          Purpose of the Bill

    The purpose of H.R. 1732 is to amend the Reclamation 
Wastewater and Groundwater Study and Facilities Act to 
authorize the Secretary of the Interior to participate in the 
Williamson County, Texas, Water Recycling and Reuse Project, 
and for other purposes.

                  Background and Need for Legislation

    Williamson County is one of the fastest growing counties in 
the State of Texas, with the current population now exceeding 
250,000. The Texas Water Development Board has concluded that 
existing wells are being overdrawn and surface water supplies 
are not meeting current drinking water demands because of the 
high growth. Most city parks, schools and golf courses in 
Williamson County are currently using drinking water for 
irrigation purposes.
    Several of the cities in Williamson County have indicated a 
desire to construct effluent reuse projects to supplement their 
water supply. To stretch available potable water resources, the 
Lower Colorado River Authority (LCRA) is proposing the 
development of a Williamson County Regional Reuse System. The 
system would include three larger projects and several smaller 
projects, all designed to recycle and transport effluent to 
parks, school grounds, and golf courses currently using 
drinking water for irrigation purposes.
    H.R. 1732 would allow the LCRA to participate in the Title 
XVI program, which is designed to assist communities in water 
reuse needs and is administered by the Bureau of Reclamation. 
The estimated total cost of the project is $29 million, with 
federal funding comprising $7.25 million (or a maximum of 25 
percent of the total cost of the project). The bill prohibits 
the Secretary of the Interior from providing funds for project 
operation and maintenance.

                            Committee Action

    H.R. 1732 was introduced by Congressman John R. Carter (R-
TX). The bill was referred to the Committee on Resources and 
within the Committee to the Subcommittee on Water and Power. On 
May 22, 2003, the Subcommittee on Water and Power held a 
hearing on H.R. 1732. On July 17, 2003, the Subcommittee held a 
markup on the bill. No amendments were offered and the bill was 
forwarded to the Full Committee by voice vote. On October 29, 
2003, the Full Resources Committee met to consider the bill. No 
amendments were offered and the bill was favorably reported, 
without amendment, to the House of Representatives by unanimous 
consent.

            Committee Oversight Findings and Recommendations

    Regarding clause 2(b)(1) of rule X and clause 3(c)(1) of 
rule XIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives, the 
Committee on Resources' oversight findings and recommendations 
are reflected in the body of this report.

                   Constitutional Authority Statement

    Article I, section 8 of the Constitution of the United 
States grants Congress the authority to enact this bill.

                    Compliance With House Rule XIII

    1. Cost of Legislation. Clause 3(d)(2) of rule XIII of the 
Rules of the House of Representatives requires an estimate and 
a comparison by the Committee of the costs which would be 
incurred in carrying out this bill. However, clause 3(d)(3)(B) 
of that rule provides that this requirement does not apply when 
the Committee has included in its report a timely submitted 
cost estimate of the bill prepared by the Director of the 
Congressional Budget Office under section 402 of the 
Congressional Budget Act of 1974.
    2. Congressional Budget Act. As required by clause 3(c)(2) 
of rule XIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives and 
section 308(a) of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974, this 
bill does not contain any new budget authority, spending 
authority, credit authority, or an increase or decrease in 
revenues or tax expenditures.
    3. General Performance Goals and Objectives. As required by 
clause 3(c)(4) of rule XIII, the general performance goal or 
objective of this bill is to amend the Reclamation Wastewater 
and Groundwater Study and Facilities Act to authorize the 
Secretary of the Interior to participate in the Williamson 
County, Texas, Water Recycling and Reuse Project, and for other 
purposes.
    4. Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate. Under clause 
3(c)(3) of rule XIII of the Rules of the House of 
Representatives and section 403 of the Congressional Budget Act 
of 1974, the Committee has received the following cost estimate 
for this bill from the Director of the Congressional Budget 
Office:

                                     U.S. Congress,
                               Congressional Budget Office,
                                  Washington, DC, November 6, 2003.
Hon. Richard W. Pombo,
Chairman, Committee on Resources,
House of Representatives, Washington, DC.
    Dear Mr. Chairman: The Congressional Budget Office has 
prepared the enclosed cost estimate for H.R. 1732, the 
Williamson County Water Recycling Act of 2003.
    If you wish further details on this estimate, we will be 
pleased to provide them. The CBO staff contact is Melissa E. 
Zimmerman.
            Sincerely,
                                      Elizabeth M. Robinson
                               (For Douglas Holtz-Eakin, Director).
    Enclosure.

H.R. 1732--Williamson County Water Recycling Act of 2003

    Summary: H.R. 1732 would authorize federal participation in 
the design, planning, and construction of a project to reclaim 
and reuse wastewater that would be carried out by the Lower 
Colorado River Authority in Williamson County, Texas. The bill 
would limit the federal share of those costs to 25 percent and 
would prohibit the use of the federal funds for operating or 
maintaining the project.
    Assuming appropriation of the necessary amounts, CBO 
estimates that implementing H.R. 1732 would cost about $8 
million over the 2004-2008 period. H.R. 1732 contains no 
intergovernmental or private-sector mandates as defined in the 
Unfunded Mandates Reform Act (UMRA). The participating 
communities in Texas might incur some costs to match the 
federal funds authorized by this act, but these costs would be 
voluntary.
    Estimated cost to the Federal Government: The estimated 
budgetary impact of H.R. 1732 is shown in the following table. 
The costs of this legislation fall within budget function 300 
(natural resources and environment).

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                       By fiscal year, in millions of dollars--
                                                                    --------------------------------------------
                                                                       2004     2005     2006     2007     2008
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                  CHANGES IN SPENDING SUBJECT TO APPROPRIATION

Estimated authorization level......................................        2        2        2        2        0
Estimated outlays..................................................        2        2        2        2        0
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Basis of estimate: For this estimate, CBO assumes that H.R. 
1732 will be enacted before the end of calendar year 2003 and 
that the necessary funds will be appropriated for each year. 
H.R. 1732 would limit the federal share of costs to 25 percent 
of the total cost to plan, design, and construct a wastewater 
reclamation project in Williamson County, Texas. Based on 
information from the Bureau of Reclamation, CBO estimates that 
the total cost of the project would be approximately $30 
million and the maximum federal share would be $8 million. CBO 
expects that it will take approximately four years to complete 
all phases of this project. For this estimate, CBO assumes that 
funds will be appropriated in equal installments over that 
period to complete the project.
    Intergovernmental and private-sector impact: H.R. 1732 
contains no intergovernmental or private-sector mandates as 
defined in UMRA. The participating communities in Texas might 
incur some costs to match the federal funds authorized by this 
act, but these costs would be voluntary.
    Estimate prepared by: Federal Costs: Melissa E. Zimmerman. 
Impact on State, Local, and Tribal Governments: Marjorie 
Miller. Impact on the Private Sector: Cecil McPherson.
    Estimate approved by: Peter H. Fontaine, Deputy Assistant 
Director for Budget Analysis.

                    Compliance With Public Law 104-4

    This bill contains no unfunded mandates.

                Preemption of State, Local or Tribal Law

    This bill is not intended to preempt any State, local or 
tribal law.

         Changes in Existing Law Made by the Bill, as Reported

  In compliance with clause 3(e) of rule XIII of the Rules of 
the House of Representatives, changes in existing law made by 
the bill, as reported, are shown as follows (new matter is 
printed in italic and existing law in which no change is 
proposed is shown in roman):

RECLAMATION PROJECTS AUTHORIZATION AND ADJUSTMENT ACT OF 1992

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SEC. 2. DEFINITION AND TABLE OF CONTENTS.

  For purposes of this Act, the term ``Secretary'' means the 
Secretary of the Interior.

                            TABLE OF CONTENTS

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       TITLE XVI--RECLAMATION WASTEWATER AND GROUND WATER STUDIES

Sec. 1601. Short title.
     * * * * * * *
1636. Williamson County, Texas, Water Recycling and Reuse Project.

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TITLE XVI--RECLAMATION WASTEWATER AND GROUNDWATER STUDIES

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SEC. 1636. WILLIAMSON COUNTY, TEXAS, WATER RECYCLING AND REUSE PROJECT.

  (a) Authorization.--The Secretary, in cooperation with the 
Lower Colorado River Authority, Texas, is authorized to 
participate in the design, planning, and construction of 
permanent facilities to reclaim and reuse water in Williamson 
County, Texas.
  (b) Cost Share.--The Federal share of the costs of the 
project described in subsection (a) shall not exceed 25 percent 
of the total cost.
  (c) Limitation.--The Secretary shall not provide funds for 
the operation and maintenance of the project described in 
subsection (a).

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