July 21, 2026:
After passing out of a U.S. Senate committee last month (June 10, 2026), legislation to pay for a feasibility study for the Western Dakota Regional Water System is waiting to be heard by the full Senate.
Western Dakota Executive Director Kristin Conzet told the Fort Pierre City Council this week (July 20, 2026) that one goal of the Western South Dakota Water Supply Project Feasibility Study Act (S. 3723) is to gather information to address the rapidly growing water needs in rural communities across the state.
Conzet says a feasibility study for a project of this size will take several years to complete.
For the past five or so years, Conzet says they’ve been doing a “pre-feasibility study,” which gives them a head start on their feasibility study.
Conzet says the advancement of the Western South Dakota Water Supply Project Feasibility Study Act to markup in the Senate is an encouraging step toward establishing a reliable, long-term water supply for the communities, economy, agriculture and national defense interests in western South Dakota. A companion bill (H.R. 7288) was heard by a U.S. House subcommittee in April, but has not yet moved any further.
The Dakota Mainstem Water Supply Project Feasibility Study Act (S. 3736), which passed out of the Senate committee at the same time as Western Dakota’s Feasibility Study Act, is also waiting to be heard by the full Senate.
June 12, 2026:
The United States Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources has passed (June 10, 2026) bills that would authorize feasibility studies for two regional water projects in South Dakota.
The Western South Dakota Water Supply Project Feasibility Study Act (S. 3723) and the Dakota Mainstem Water Supply Project Feasibility Study Act (S. 3736) now head to the full Senate.
South Dakota Senator and Senate Republican Party Leader John Thune says the bills supporting the Western Dakota Regional Water System (WDRWS) and the Dakota Mainstem Regional Water System are aimed at addressing the rapidly growing water needs in rural communities across the state.
Kristin Conzet, executive director of WDRWS, says the advancement of their bill to Senate markup is an encouraging step forward for the future of water security in western South Dakota. She says reaching this stage reflects growing recognition of the need for a reliable, long-term water supply to support communities, economy, agriculture and national defense interests.
South Dakota Senator Mike Rounds says rural water projects are crucial for the success of the state, both in the near future and for the next generation.
Ryan Johnson, president of the Dakota Mainstem Regional Water System says advancing their bill through the markup process is a significant milestone that moves Dakota Mainstem one step closer to the feasibility study phase with Bureau of Reclamation participation. He says they’re grateful for the senators’ commitment to strengthening water infrastructure and helping ensure a reliable water source is available in the future for communities, businesses and residents.
January 30, 2026:
South Dakota U.S. Senators John Thune and Mike Rounds are supporting a bill that would bring a proposed water initiative for the western side of the state closer to reality.
This week (Jan. 29, 2026), Thune introduced the “Western South Dakota Water Supply Project Feasibility Study Act” on behalf of himself and Rounds. The bill includes a $10 million appropriation for the Bureau of Reclamation– under the Department of the Interior– to do the feasibility study for a proposed project to supply water from the Missouri River to municipal, rural and industrial customers in western South Dakota. The feasibility study is required before federal approval could be granted for construction to begin.
Kristin Conzet, Executive Director of the Western Dakota Regional Water System, said they’ve spent several years completing preliminary feasibility work to intentionally position the project for federal review. Those efforts include evaluating potential Missouri River and Lake Oahe intake locations, assessing interconnections with existing regional water infrastructure, and developing preliminary pipeline routing concepts. She said the proposed legislation is a critical step toward long term water reliability for western South Dakota.
WDRWS was formed in late 2021, with initial technical and planning efforts beginning in 2022.
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