The Secretary is authorized to participate with the city and county of Los Angeles, State of California, West Basin Municipal Water District, and other appropriate authorities, in the design, planning, and construction of water reclamation and reuse projects to treat approximately one hundred and twenty thousand acre-feet per year of effluent from the city and county of Los Angeles, in order to provide new water supplies for industrial, environmental, and other beneficial purposes, to reduce the demand for imported water, and to reduce sewage effluent discharged into Santa Monica Bay.

The Secretary’s share of costs associated with the project described in subsection (a) shall not exceed 25 per centum of the total. The Secretary shall not provide funds for operation or maintenance of the project.