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Congressional Research Service
Version 00 · Introduced in House · Jul 27, 2011
Reauthorization of Water Desalination Act of 2011 - Directs the Secretary of the Interior to operate, manage, and maintain facilities to carry out research, development, and demonstration activities to develop technologies and methods that promote brackish groundwater desalination as a viable method to increase water supply in a cost-effective manner. Includes among such activities: (1) the development of renewable energy technologies for integration with desalination technologies to reduce the capital and operation costs, and minimize the environmental impacts, of desalination and to increase public acceptance of desalination as a viable water supply process; (2) research regarding various desalination processes, including reverse and forward osmosis technologies; (3) the development of innovative methods and technologies to reduce the volume and cost of desalination concentrated wastes in an environmentally sound manner; (4) an outreach program to create partnerships with states, academic institutions, private entities, local public agencies, and other appropriate organizations to conduct research, development, and demonstration activities, including the establishment of rental and other charges to provide revenue to help offset the costs of operating and maintaining the facility; and (5) an outreach program to educate the public on desalination and renewable energy technologies and the benefits of using water in an efficient manner.
Directs the Secretary to conduct demonstration projects to: (1) develop new water and energy technologies with widespread applicability; and (2) create new supplies of usable water for municipal, agricultural, industrial, or environmental purposes.
Authorizes appropriations through FY2016 to carry out the Water Desalination Act of 1996.
People & committees
Rep. Napolitano, Grace F. [D-CA-38] · D–CA
Legislative record
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Subcommittee Hearings Held.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Water and Power.
Referred to the Committee on Natural Resources, and in addition to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Referred to the Committee on Natural Resources, and in addition to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Primary sources
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Source last updated: Aug 14, 2025. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.
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