Measure revives federal funding for Lake Mead wastewater project

WASHINGTON -- Federal funding for a Southern Nevada wastewater pipeline that was shelved in Congress last fall was resurrected in a water bill that the House passed on Thursday.

A $30 million authorization for the new system to treat and discharge waste into Lake Mead was among hundreds of projects in a water bill that passed 394-25.

Southern Nevada officials had asked for the federal government to share the cost of $750 million pipeline, which will pump treated wastewater deep into the lake to meet water quality and environmental guidelines.

Homeowners and businesses are being charged higher sewer system connection fees to help finance the pipeline, which is expected to be in operation in 2011 or 2012.

Nevada senators tried to place a federal pipeline provision in a public land bill last fall but took it out after environmentalists complained.

The local project that was put into the $15 billion House water bill was announced by Rep. Shelley Berkley, D-Nev., and Rep. Jon Porter, R-Nev.

Porter said the bill also contains authorization for the government to spend $5 million on Henderson's upgrade of its Southwest Wastewater Treatment Plant.

While the House bill authorizes federal spending for the Nevada projects, Congress must pass follow-up appropriations bills directing specific sums to the projects.