H.R. 9785, the South Dakota Water Feasibility Studies Act, advanced out of committee on September 15, 2026.
H.R. 9785 — South Dakota Water Feasibility Studies Act
What it does
This bill directs the Secretary of the Interior to conduct three separate feasibility studies for rural water supply projects in the Missouri River basin across South Dakota, Iowa, Minnesota, and Nebraska. The federal government will fund up to 50% of study costs (capped at $10 million per study), while non-federal entities must cover at least 25% of any eventual construction costs. The studies will examine whether three specific water systems—a general Missouri basin project, the Lewis and Clark Regional Water System expansion, and the Dakota Mainstem Water Supply Project—are viable and should be built.
Quorum's transparency scan gave South Dakota Water Feasibility Studies Act a moderate transparency flag.
What happens next
H.R. 9785 advanced out of committee. Next stop: a floor vote.
Who is behind it
Filed by Dusty Johnson.
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