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HR 2817 102th Congress House

Water Desalination Act of 1991

Official title: To require the Secretary of the Interior to conduct studies regarding the desalting of water and water reuse, and for other purposes.

Introduced: June 27, 1991 See on congress.gov
Water Resources Development Environmental researchResearch and developmentSaline water conversionWater qualityWater supply
This bill died when the 102nd Congress ended
It never became law before the 102nd Congress (1991–1992) adjourned, and bills don't carry over to the next Congress. It would have to be reintroduced. You can still save it for reference, but it won't receive updates.
 Everywhere this bill has been 5 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Oct 8, 1992
Provisions Not Included in Final Version of H.R.429.
Apr 10, 1992
See H.R.429.
Jul 16, 1991
Referred to the Subcommittee on Water, Power and Offshore Energy Resources.
Jun 27, 1991
Referred to the House Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs.
Jun 27, 1991
Introduced in House
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 Latest action October 8, 1992

Provisions Not Included in Final Version of H.R.429.

 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Water Desalination Act of 1991 - Declares it to be U.S. policy to provide for: (1) the development of a means of producing, from saline or biologically impaired waters, water of a quality suitable for agricultural, industrial, municipal and other uses; and (2) related research on a scale sufficient to determine the feasibility of large scale development.

Defines "saline water" to mean sea water, brackish water, and other mineralized or chemically impaired water.

Directs the Secretary to establish a desalination program comprised of the phases outlined below.

Directs the Secretary to conduct studies to determine the most efficient means by which usable water can be produced from saline water as Phase I. Directs the Secretary to endeavor to obtain results in Phase I sufficient to support recommendations to the Congress.

Directs the Secretary to conduct a demonstration program to demonstrate the feasibility of desalting processes as Phase II.

Requires the information from the studies under this Act, with exceptions for national defense and patent rights, to be available to the public.

Authorizes the Secretary to: (1) accept technical and administrative assistance from public or private agencies in connection with work relating to the desalting of water; and (2) enter into contracts or agreements to provide for cost sharing. Authorizes the Secretary to take other actions in carrying out this Act, including making grants and contracts.

Authorizes appropriations.

 Related & companion bills 1
 Bill text 1 version

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

 Committees of jurisdiction 2
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APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). H.R. 2817: Water Desalination Act of 1991. 102nd Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/102-HR-2817/
MLA
"H.R. 2817: Water Desalination Act of 1991." 102nd Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/102-HR-2817/.
Bluebook (legal)
H.R. 2817, 102nd Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/102-HR-2817/.
Markdown link
[H.R. 2817: Water Desalination Act of 1991](https://openamerica.io/bill/102-HR-2817/)
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