Representative Andy Biggs introduces H.R. 10420: Colorado River Basin Water Security and Infrastructure Act

We have received text from H.R. 10420: Colorado River Basin Water Security and Infrastructure Act. This bill was received on 2026-09-16, and currently has no cosponsors.

Here is a short summary of the bill:

This bill would create a broad federal program aimed at increasing the amount of water available in the Colorado River Basin and speeding up approval of related projects.

Fast-tracked federal review

For certain “covered projects” in or benefiting Colorado River Basin states, the bill would:

• Exempt those projects from the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), meaning no NEPA environmental review would be required for them.
• Require the President to name one lead federal agency for each project requiring federal approval.
• Set up a single federal review schedule and deadlines for agency action.
• Require agencies to determine within 30 days whether a permit application is complete.
• Require a final federal decision within 180 days after a complete application, with one possible 90-day extension for specific technical or legal issues.
• Require agencies that miss the deadline to explain the delay to Congress.

Water augmentation grant and financing program

The bill would create a new Colorado River Basin Water Augmentation Program run by the Secretary of the Interior. The program would provide federal financial assistance for projects that increase water supply in Colorado River Basin states.

Projects could include:

• Reservoirs and other storage facilities
• Pipelines, canals, aqueducts, and other conveyance systems
• Desalination plants
• Water recycling and advanced treatment facilities
• Aquifer recharge projects
• Projects to remove or replace invasive vegetation that consumes water
• Infrastructure needed to deliver augmented water to users

Eligible recipients would include states, local governments, water districts, public utilities, Indian Tribes, private entities, and consortia of those entities.

The federal government would generally pay up to two dollars for every one dollar of non-federal funding committed, but not more than 66⅔ percent of a project’s total cost. The Secretary would consult with affected states before providing assistance, but the bill says state approval would not be required unless state water law otherwise requires it.

When choosing projects, the Secretary would give priority to projects that benefit multiple states, produce measurable new water supplies, attract significant non-federal funding, increase municipal water supply, improve food security, support national defense supply chains, reduce reliance on existing Colorado River water supplies, or are located in states with laws that facilitate new water supplies for residential growth.

The bill would also let the Secretary rely on existing studies and analyses, including studies done by non-federal entities, instead of requiring sponsors to repeat work the Secretary already finds sufficient. It would create a Treasury fund for the program that could be used without needing additional appropriations each time.

Yuma Desalting Plant and Mexico-related water supply actions

Within 180 days, the bill would require the Secretary of the Interior to restore the Yuma Desalting Plant to operational status and run it at the highest technically feasible capacity, subject to law and plant limitations. The plant would be operated to maximize the amount of water that can count toward U.S. obligations under the Mexican Water Treaty while preserving an equivalent amount of Colorado River water as much as possible.

The bill would also direct the Secretary, working with the State Department and the U.S. section of the International Boundary and Water Commission, to develop a program encouraging seawater desalination facilities in Mexico. The goal would be to create water that could offset some Colorado River deliveries the United States owes Mexico under the treaty. The State Department would be instructed to seek an agreement with Mexico covering construction, financing, ownership, operation, maintenance, and delivery of desalinated water. Federal assistance could take the form of grants, loans, loan guarantees, or direct construction.

The bill says no facility outside the United States could be built or operated under this section without the host country’s consent.

It also requires the Secretary to check whether Mexico is meeting its treaty obligations before crediting any project water toward the U.S. treaty obligation, and to suspend treaty-related federal benefits if Mexico is found not to be in compliance until the issue is resolved.

New federal water infrastructure projects

The bill would create a separate federal program for major water infrastructure projects in the Colorado River Basin. This would include projects in three broad categories:

• California water-supply augmentation projects
• Arizona and Nevada water-supply augmentation projects
• Upper Basin water development projects

For California, the Secretary would have to study projects that capture or store water that would otherwise flow into the Pacific Ocean, provide additional water supplies, and reduce reliance on Colorado River water. Priority would go to projects that prevent usable water from being lost to the ocean and that develop water from non-Colorado River sources such as recycling or desalination.

For Arizona and Nevada, the Secretary would study projects that improve the dependable supply for the Central Arizona Project. Possible project types include dams, reservoirs, off-stream storage, pipelines, desalination, advanced treatment, and aquifer recharge projects. After a feasibility study, the Secretary could move forward with construction if the project is technically and economically feasible, increases dependable water supply, and complies with federal law.

For the Upper Basin, the Secretary would study projects that help the Upper Division states develop their water supplies without violating interstate compacts, treaties, court decrees, or federal law. These could include new reservoirs, off-stream storage, pipelines, and water treatment or augmentation facilities. A report to Congress would be due within two years on the feasibility and impacts of each project studied.

The bill would allow the Secretary to construct certain projects after feasibility review and necessary certifications, without needing any additional act of Congress.

Consultation, water rights, and reporting

The bill would require consultation with Colorado River Basin states, affected Tribes, local governments, and water users. It also states that nothing in the bill would change state water rights, alter water-right priorities, modify existing Supreme Court decrees or interstate compacts, or reduce existing lawful water uses, except where federal law or a court order already allows it.

The Secretary would have to report to Congress annually on funded projects, money spent, additional water produced, the status of the Yuma plant, Mexico desalination negotiations, and the status of federal infrastructure projects. The bill authorizes billions of dollars in funding: $5 billion for the augmentation program, $1 billion for the Yuma Desalting Plant, $1 billion for Mexico desalination efforts, and $12 billion for federal water infrastructure projects.

Relevant Companies

• FLR - Fluor could be directly affected if large water infrastructure, desalination, or conveyance projects are designed and built with federal funding.
• ACM - AECOM could benefit from feasibility studies, engineering, program management, and design work for basin water projects.
• J - Jacobs may be involved in planning, engineering, and project management for major water infrastructure and treatment projects.
• GWR - Wabtec’s water-related impact would likely be limited, so this is less direct; not included.

Representative Andy Biggs Bill Proposals

Here are some bills which have recently been proposed by Representative Andy Biggs:

• H.R.10420: Colorado River Basin Water Security and Infrastructure Act
• H.R.9731: No GRIFT Act of 2026
• H.R.8920: Restoring the American Homebuyers Dream Act
• H.R.8724: Providing Resources and Oversight for Tactical Equipment to Communities and Troops Act
• H.R.8466: TRUE Accountability Act
• H.R.8365: Monitor Accountability Act

You can track bills proposed by Representative Andy Biggs on Investivoq's politician page for Biggs.

Representative Andy Biggs Net Worth

Investivoq estimates that Representative Andy Biggs is worth $6.1M, as of September 23rd, 2026. This is the 155th highest net worth in Congress, per our live estimates.

Biggs has approximately $0 invested in publicly traded assets which Investivoq is able to track live.

You can track Representative Andy Biggs's net worth on Investivoq's politician page for Biggs.

2026 Arizona's 5th Congressional District Election

There has been approximately $7,381,312 of spending in Arizona's 5th congressional district elections over the last two years, per our estimates.

Approximately $2,432,629 of this has been from outside spending by PACs and Super PACs. Some of the groups who are spending money in this race include:

• 314 ACTION FUND ($979,088)
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The rating for this race is currently "Solid R".

You can track this election on our matchup page for the 2026 Arizona's 5th congressional district election.

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