Lewis & Clark Regional Water System Expansion Feasibility Study Act

The Lewis & Clark Regional Water System Expansion Feasibility Study Act proposes to authorize the Department of the Interior to study the potential expansion of a major water pipeline network. The existing system provides treated water from the Missouri River to various municipal and rural areas in South Dakota, Iowa, and Minnesota. This bill aims to determine if increasing the system's capacity and extending its reach to new communities is technically and financially practical.

If enacted, the Secretary of the Interior would work with local water officials to produce a formal report. This report would include recommendations on whether the expansion should be built and how the costs should be shared between the federal government and local entities. The bill proposes that the federal government cover up to 50% of the study's costs, with a total spending limit of $10 million for the evaluation.

For residents in the tri-state region, this bill represents a preliminary step toward improving long-term water security. While it does not authorize actual construction, the resulting study would identify which additional towns or rural areas could eventually gain access to a more reliable water supply. This is intended to support future population growth and economic development in areas that currently face water quantity or quality challenges.