Department of the Interior Awards $140 Million for Indian Water Rights Settlement Infrastructure

WASHINGTON, DC — The United States Department of the Interior (DOI) and the Bureau of Reclamation announced the deployment of $140 million in mandatory funding under the Indian Water Rights Settlement Completion Fund, financing major civil water infrastructure construction for tribal nations across the American Southwest.

Fulfilling Federal Treaty Water Obligations to Sovereign Tribes

The funding allocations provide direct construction capital for the Navajo-Gallup Water Supply Project in New Mexico, the Gila River Indian Community Reclaimed Water Pipeline in Arizona, and the White Mountain Apache Tribe Clean Drinking Water System. The projects construct 180 miles of treated potable water transmission pipelines, pressurized municipal booster stations, and agricultural canal lining to deliver reliable clean drinking water to over 60,000 tribal members who previously relied on hauled water.

Interior Secretary Deb Haaland affirmed that water is essential for tribal sovereignty and economic vitality, stating that the federal government is delivering on its binding treaty commitments to tribal nations.

Tribal Governors and Water Engineers Celebrate

Navajo Nation and Gila River Indian Community leaders commended the funding certainty, noting that piped drinking water unlocks residential housing construction and healthcare facilities.

Reclamation engineers confirmed that canal lining infrastructure prevents over 35,000 acre-feet of annual water seepage in the Colorado River basin.

Pipeline Construction Milestones

Pipeline trenching and water treatment facility construction will expand across tribal reservation sites in November 2026.