Wyoming bill proposes $8 million study of stormwater and wastewater infrastructure

A bill introduced in the Wyoming Senate would require a statewide study of public wastewater and stormwater infrastructure, backed by an $8 million appropriation to support data collection and analysis through 2030.

Under the proposed legislation, the Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) would enter into or amend a memorandum of understanding with the Office of State Lands and Investments to conduct the study. The effort would be carried out in conjunction with DEQ’s ongoing work to collect information on drinking water infrastructure statewide.

The Office of State Lands and Investments and the Wyoming Water Development Office would coordinate with DEQ, while cities, towns, special districts and counties would be required to provide data on their water, wastewater and stormwater systems upon request.

The bill directs DEQ to report annually on the status of the study to the Select Water Committee beginning Nov. 1, 2026, and continuing through 2030.

To fund the effort, the legislation appropriates $8 million from the Strategic Investments and Projects Account to the Office of State Lands and Investments. The funds may be used to hire consultants and cover other study-related costs and would be available through June 30, 2030. Any unspent funds would revert as provided by law.

If enacted, the measure would take effect July 1, 2026, and could provide Wyoming policymakers with a more comprehensive inventory of stormwater and wastewater infrastructure needs to inform future investment and resilience planning.