A Perfect Storm: Tribal Infrastructure Investment, Western Water, and the U.S. Supreme Court

April 04, 2023 00:24:48
A Perfect Storm: Tribal Infrastructure Investment, Western Water, and the U.S. Supreme Court
The Future of Water
A Perfect Storm: Tribal Infrastructure Investment, Western Water, and the U.S. Supreme Court

Apr 04 2023 | 00:24:48

/

Hosted By

Reese Tisdale

Show Notes

On 20 March 2023, the U.S. Supreme Court heard oral arguments of Arizona v. Navajo Nation, a dispute over Colorado River water rights. The court’s decision could have significant implications for the water rights of Tribes across the country. Navajo Nation is one of the Indian Health Service (IHS) administrative areas with the greatest need for water and wastewater infrastructure construction and rehabilitation.

Recent federal funding outlays—including the 2021 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) and the US$1.7 trillion OMNIBUS bill passed in December 2022— have given the IHS historically high levels of access to federal funding. The allocations aim to address long standing deficiencies in drinking water and sewer infrastructure for tribal communities.

The combination of increased available funding and extreme water stress in the Colorado River basin presents a market opportunity over the next five to eight years through municipal water and sewer construction and rehabilitation projects.

Bluefield's water experts– Reese Tisdale and Greg Goodwin– talk about the scale of federal funds allocated to Indian reservations, the potential impact of pending lawsuits at the Supreme Court, and the impact of declining Colorado River water levels.

Related Research & Analysis

Other Episodes

Episode 0

December 12, 2023 00:30:14
Episode Cover

Latest Trends in Industrial Water Management

In this episode, Bluefield water experts discuss key themes in industrial water from this past quarter. Podcast Host Reese Tisdale, sits down with Bluefield...

Listen

Episode 0

May 23, 2023 00:26:07
Episode Cover

What's Behind Engineering Firms' Strategy Shifts in Water?

Jacobs, one of the leading engineering firms in water, announced plans to spinout its Critical Mission Solutions business unit. With this move, the company...

Listen

Episode 0

January 26, 2021 00:23:15
Episode Cover

Are Municipalities Benefitting from Fair Market Value Legislation?

On average, Bluefield’s team of water experts tracks more than 125 utility acquisitions per year. Reese Tisdale talks to Bluefield Analyst Mariel Marchand about...

Listen