I
103D CONGRESS
2D SESSION
H. R. 4944
To authorize the Secretary of the Interior to conduct studies regarding the
desalination of water and water reuse, and for other purposes.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
AUGUST 11, 1994
Mr. MILLER of California (for himself, Ms. PELOSI, Mr. HAMBURG, Mr.
BILBRAY, and Mr. GALLEGLY) introduced the following bill; which was
referred jointly to the Committees on Natural Resources and Science,
Space, and Technology
A BILL
To authorize the Secretary of the Interior to conduct studies
regarding the desalination of water and water reuse,
and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Water Desalination
Act of 1994’’.
SEC. 2. DECLARATION OF POLICY.
In view of the increasing shortage of usable surface
and ground water and the importance of finding new
sources of supply to meet present and future water needs
and to further the goals of the Colorado River Basin Salin-
ity Control Act of 1974, the Water Resources Research
Act of 1984, Public Law 95–84 (as amended), and Public
Law 102–575, it is the policy of the United States to con-
duct and sponsor research to develop low-cost alternatives
for the desalination and reuse of water or biologically im-
paired water and to provide for the development of prac-
ticable low-cost means of producing water of a quality
suitable for environmental enhancement, agricultural, in-
dustrial, municipal, and other beneficial consumptive or
nonconsumptive uses from saline or biologically impaired
waters on a scale sufficient to determine the feasibility of
the development of such water production and distribution
on a large scale for the purpose of conserving and increas-
ing water resources.
SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.
As used in this Act:
(1) DESALINATION OR DESALTING.—The terms
‘‘desalination’’ or ‘‘desalting’’ mean the use of any
process or technique for the removal and, when fea-
sible, adaptation to beneficial use, of organic and in-
organic elements and compounds from saline or bio-
logically impaired waters, by itself or in conjunction
with other processes.
(2) SALINE WATER.—The term ‘‘saline water’’
means sea water, brackish water, and other mineral-
ized or chemically impaired water.
(3) 
UNITED
STATES.—The 
term 
‘‘United
States’’ means the States of the United States, the
District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto
Rico, and the territories and possessions of the
United States.
(4) USABLE WATER.—The term ‘‘usable water’’
means water of a high quality suitable for environ-
mental enhancement, agricultural, industrial, munic-
ipal, 
and 
other 
beneficial 
consumptive 
or
nonconsumptive uses.
(5) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means
the Secretary of the Interior.
SEC. 4. AUTHORIZATION OF RESEARCH AND STUDIES.
(a) IN GENERAL.—In order to determine the most
cost-effective and technologically efficient means by which
usable water can be produced from saline water or water
otherwise impaired or contaminated, the Secretary is au-
thorized to award grants and to enter into contracts, to
the extent provided in advance in appropriation Acts, to
conduct, encourage, and assist in the financing of research
to develop processes for converting saline water or water
otherwise impaired or contaminated into water suitable for
beneficial uses. Research and study topics authorized by
this section include—
(1) investigating desalination processes;
(2) ascertaining the optimum mix of investment
and operating costs;
(3) determining the best designs for different
conditions of operation;
(4) investigating methods of increasing the eco-
nomic efficiency of desalination processes through
dual-purpose co-facilities with other processes involv-
ing the use of water;
(5) conducting or contracting for technical
work, including the design, construction, and testing
of pilot systems and test beds, to develop desalting
processes and concepts; and
(6) studying methods for the recovery of by-
products resulting from the desalination of water to
offset the costs of treatment and to reduce environ-
mental impacts from those byproducts.
(b) PROJECT RECOMMENDATIONS AND REPORTS TO
THE CONGRESS.—As soon as practicable and within three
years after the date of enactment of this Act, the Sec-
retary shall recommend to Congress desalination dem-
onstration projects or full-scale desalination projects to
carry out the purposes of this Act and to further evaluate
and implement the results of research and studies con-
ducted under the authority of this section. Recommenda-
tions for projects shall be accompanied by reports on the
engineering and economic feasibility of proposed projects
and their environmental impacts.
(c) AUTHORITY TO ENGAGE OTHERS.—In carrying
out research and studies authorized in this section, the
Secretary may engage the necessary personnel, industrial
or engineering firms, Federal laboratories, water resources
research and technology institutes, other facilities, and
educational institutions suitable to conduct investigations
and studies authorized under this section.
SEC. 5. DESALINATION DEMONSTRATION AND DEVELOP-
MENT.
(a) IN GENERAL.—In order to further demonstrate
the feasibility of desalination processes investigated either
independently or in research conducted pursuant to sec-
tion 4, the Secretary shall administer and conduct a dem-
onstration and development program for water desalina-
tion and related activities, including the following:
(1) DESALINATION PLANTS AND MODULES.—
Conduct or contract for technical work, including the
design, construction, and testing of plants and mod-
ules to develop desalination processes and concepts.
(2) BYPRODUCTS.—Study methods for the mar-
keting of byproducts resulting from the desalting of
water to offset the costs of treatment and to reduce
environmental impacts of those byproducts.
(3) ECONOMIC
SURVEYS.—Conduct economic
studies and surveys to determine present and pro-
spective costs of producing water for beneficial pur-
poses in various locations by desalination processes
compared to other methods.
(b) COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS.—Federal participa-
tion in desalination activities may be conducted through
cooperative agreements, including cost-sharing agree-
ments, with non-Federal public utilities and State and
local governmental agencies and other entities, in order
to develop recommendations for Federal participation in
processes and plants utilizing desalting technologies for
the production of water.
SEC. 6. PARTICIPATION BY AGENCIES AND INTERESTED
PERSONS.
(a) COORDINATION WITH OTHER AGENCIES.—Ac-
tivities undertaken by the Secretary pursuant to this Act
may be coordinated or conducted jointly, as appropriate,
with other Federal agencies, States, local government
agencies, water resources research and technology insti-
tutes, and private entities.
(b) AVAILABILITY OF INFORMATION.—All informa-
tion from studies sponsored or funded under authority of
this Act shall be considered public information.
SEC. 7. TECHNICAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANCE.
The Secretary may—
(1) accept technical and administrative assist-
ance from States and public or private agencies in
connection with studies, surveys, location, construc-
tion, operation, and other work relating to the
desalting of water, and
(2) enter into contracts or agreements stating
the purposes for which the assistance is contributed
and providing for the sharing of costs between the
Secretary and any such agency.
SEC. 8. COST SHARING.
The Federal share of the cost of a research, study,
or demonstration project or a desalination development
project or activity carried out under this Act shall not ex-
ceed 50 percent of the total cost of the project or research
or study activity. The Secretary shall prescribe appro-
priate procedures to implement the provisions of this sec-
tion. Costs of operation, maintenance, repair, and rehabili-
tation of facilities funded under the authority of this Act
shall be non-Federal responsibilities.
SEC. 9. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
There are authorized to be appropriated such sums
as may be necessary to carry out the provisions of this
Act.
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