North Dakota Rural Water Systems Association - News and Facts from NDRW

WASHINGTON - Senator John Hoeven this week reintroduced his bipartisan legislation to support more reliable, drought-resistant water supplies in North Dakota, while helping to fulfill federal compensation that was promised to the state and tribes upon the construction of the Garrison Dam and Oahe Dam. Specifically, Hoeven’s bill would:

• Amend the Dakota Water Resources Act (DWRA) to increase authorizations under the Municipal, Rural, and Industrial (MR&I) water supply grant program for North Dakota and the five Tribal Nations in the state.
  • North Dakota reached the state MR&I authorization ceiling at the end of fiscal year (FY) 2024.
  • An increase is necessary to complete ongoing water supply projects, including the Northwest Area Water Supply Project (NAWS) and the Eastern North Dakota Alternate Water Supply Project (ENDAWS).
• Ensure that biota water treatment (BWT) costs are fully accounted for, which are rightly the responsibility of the federal government.
  • Although the DWRA authorized funding for non-reimbursable costs related to BWT facilities, no authorization ceiling was outlined.
  • As a result, North Dakota and the Bureau of Reclamation (BOR) have been forced to allocate significant MR&I resources to cover federal responsibilities under the Boundary Waters Treaty of 1909.

Hoeven previously secured the bill’s approval by the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee during the 118th Congress, putting the legislation in a strong position to advance in the current Congress. The bill comes as part of Hoeven’s ongoing efforts to fully fund ENDAWS, which uses existing federal infrastructure to save North Dakota taxpayers $200 million in construction costs and $4 million in annual operating costs for the Red River Valley Water Supply Project. Earlier this year, Hoeven secured $50 million and authorization for ENDAWS in the FY2026 appropriations legislation, and he continues his efforts to advance additional funding for the project from a BOR water account he worked to shape and include in the One Big Beautiful Bill.

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