The project will diversify the regions water supply and prove up a technology that can be used elsewhere in the truckee meadows in the future to further increase water resources for the region

The Bureau of Reclamation awarded Truckee Meadows Water Authority (TMWA) a $168.99 million cooperative agreement on September 10, 2025, under the Water Recycling and Desalination Construction Programs (CFDA 15.504) to develop and implement Nevada's first indirect potable reuse project. The initiative will create a net new water supply of 2,000 acre-feet per annum (AFA) through underground storage of advanced purified water (APW), establishing a groundwater bank of up to 11,000 acre-feet to serve the Truckee Meadows region. The project will enhance drought resilience by providing a reliable, off-river water resource and support future regional growth by creating capacity for approximately 4,750 new residential services while simultaneously establishing a new wastewater effluent disposal option.

The cooperative agreement, with a completion deadline of December 31, 2027, will deliver multiple complementary products and services including advanced water treatment infrastructure with minimized waste streams, expanded wastewater management solutions capable of serving approximately 12,100 new homes, and environmental mitigation measures that will reduce effluent discharges to Swan Lake by approximately 2 million gallons per day. By diversifying the region's water supply portfolio and demonstrating a replicable advanced purification technology model, TMWA will address the Truckee Meadows' unique water management challenges driven by competition for limited surface and groundwater resources and anticipated climate change impacts.

Activities

Establish a net new water supply of 2,000 AFA in the north valleys to address the areas unique water management challenges and allow for future growth even with heightened competition for existing surface and groundwater resources in the region. Maximize the efficient use of limited truckee river water resources by ensuring an additional 2,000 AFA is not exported to the north valleys area. Create a groundwater bank of up to 11,000 acre-feet to develop additional locally controlled and drought-proof water supplies for truckee meadow water authoritys entire service area. Reduce wastewater effluent environmental discharges and mitigate flooding to swan lake, a closed-basin playa, by 2 million gallons per day (MGD) and create a new wastewater disposal option for the north valleys. Implement the first indirect potable reuse project in nevada to pave the way for future APW projects in the region using treatment technologies with a minimized waste stream to address brine disposal limitations. Create a new water supply that can serve approximately 4,750 new residential services and an effluent management solution that can provide capacity for approximately 12,100 new homes. Mitigate anticipated climate change impacts by providing a new reliable, off-river water supply for truckee meadow water authoritys customers. Expected outcome(s) deliverable(s): engineering planning and program management tasks related to developing the basis of design and project implementation strategies, maintaining the project schedule and budget, and conducting public outreach efforts. Project permitting tasks through the nevada division of environmental protection (ndep), city of reno (COR), washoe county (WC), union pacific railroad (uprr) and other local jurisdictional authorities. Compliance with the national environmental policy act (nepa) and creation of an environmental assessment (EA) report for the project area. Complete the engineering design and creation of the issued for construction contract documents. Construction of the primary treatment plant (advanced purified water facility at lear). Drilling and developing the injection, extraction, and monitoring wells. Installation of transmission pipeline from the primary treatment plant to the injection wells. Equipment testing, startup and commissioning of the primary treatment facility and project infrastructure. Completion of records activities associated with project completion. Beneficiary: the public