Title: WATER Act of 2020
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security

Summary:
DOD Water Assessment and Testing Enhanced Reporting Act of 2020 or the WATER Act of 2020
This bill requires the Department of Defense (DOD) to report on the water scarcity evaluation practices used by DOD with respect to defense installations. Based on the results of the report, DOD must develop and implement a recurring water scarcity assessment at defense installations.

[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 7069 Introduced in House (IH)]

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116th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 7069

 To direct the Secretary of Defense to assess and report on the water 
  scarcity evaluation practices of the Department of Defense, and for 
                            other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              June 1, 2020

Mr. Crow (for himself, Ms. Torres Small of New Mexico, and Mr. Lamborn) 
 introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on 
                             Armed Services

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To direct the Secretary of Defense to assess and report on the water 
  scarcity evaluation practices of the Department of Defense, and for 
                            other purposes.

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

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``DOD Water Assessment and Testing 
Enhanced Reporting Act of 2020'' or the ``WATER Act of 2020''.

SEC. 2. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE WATER SCARCITY EVALUATION PRACTICES.

    (a) Report.--Not later than 120 days after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense, in coordination with 
the Secretaries of the military departments, shall submit to Congress a 
report on the water scarcity evaluation practices used by the 
Department with respect to defense installations. Such a report shall 
include--
            (1) an analysis and determination of the value of 
        developing a coordinated, enterprise-wide water scarcity 
        assessment using leading practices compared to continuing 
        individual service-level assessments;
            (2) a justification for the assessment technique determined 
        preferable under paragraph (1); and
            (3) a proposed policy with respect to the water scarcity 
        evaluation practices of the Department.
    (b) Development of Recurring Assessment.--
            (1) In general.--Based on the results of the report 
        required under subsection (a), the Secretary of Defense, in 
        coordination with the Secretaries of the military departments, 
        shall develop and implement a recurring water scarcity 
        assessment at defense installations.
            (2) Frequency.--The recurring water scarcity assessment 
        required under paragraph (1) shall be conducted not less 
        frequently than once every 10 years.
            (3) Consultation requirement.--The Secretary shall consult 
        with all relevant entities, including as necessary adjacent 
        communities, Tribes, and agricultural enterprises, as well as 
        other Federal land managers, to understand the full scope of 
        how water scarcity may impact an installation.
            (4) Report.--The Secretary of Defense shall submit to the 
        congressional defense committees a report on the findings of 
        each water scarcity assessment conducted under this subsection. 
        Such report shall include--
                    (A) an identification of the availability of water, 
                as of the date of the submittal of the report;
                    (B) an identification of projected future water 
                availability;
                    (C) an account of all sources of water;
                    (D) the precise locations of all water identified; 
                and
                    (E) a comprehensive list of all locations.
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