House does not override the vetoed Colorado water project
The “Finish the Arkansas Valley Conduit Act” was federally vetoed on Dec. 30, 2025, the house voted to uphold this decision on Jan. 8, 2025. Despite bipartisan support for the infrastructure project the vote was split 248-177. This means funding for clean drinking water in Southeastern Colorado is still up in the air.
The Finish the Arkansas Valley Conduit Act is described as, “This bill reduces payments that communities within the Arkansas River Valley must pay to the Bureau of Reclamation for the construction of the Arkansas Valley Conduit, a pipeline in Colorado for delivering water from the Pueblo Reservoir to such communities. Specifically, it removes interest payments and extends the repayment period to 100 years.”
Colorado lawmakers likely have to pass the legislation in another way, with the option as including it in another legislative package. Many local representatives expressed surprise over the outcome. “I’m committed to Southeast Colorado and doing everything we can to get this conduit finished, to get that drinking water to the people that deserve it, and to finish this project,” stated Rep. Jeff Hurd who sponsored the bill. “We’re going to find a way, some other path that will get us there.”
