Section 1 Short title
This Act may be cited as the “Water Technology Acceleration Act”.
Water Technology Acceleration Act
A BILL
To establish an innovative water technology grant program and to amend the Safe Drinking Water Act and the Federal Water Pollution Control Act to encourage the use of innovative water technology, and for other purposes.
Sec. 2 Innovative water technology grant program
Definitions— In this section:
Administrator— The term Administrator means the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency.
Eligible entity— The term eligible entity means—
a public utility, including publicly owned treatment works and clean water systems;
a unit of local government, including a municipality or a joint powers authority;
a private entity, including a farmer or manufacturer;
an institution of higher education;
a research institution or foundation;
a State;
a regional organization; or
a nonprofit organization.
Grant program authorized— The Administrator shall carry out a grant program for the purposes described in subsection (c) to accelerate the development of innovative water technologies that address pressing water challenges.
Grants— In carrying out the program under subsection (b), the Administrator shall make to eligible entities grants that—
finance projects to develop, deploy, test, and improve emerging water technologies;
fund entities that provide technical assistance to deploy innovative water technologies more broadly, especially—
to increase adoption of innovative water technologies in—
municipal drinking water and wastewater treatment systems;
areas served by private wells; or
water supply systems in arid areas that are experiencing, or have recently experienced, prolonged drought conditions; and
in a manner that reduces ratepayer or community costs over time, including the cost of future capital investments; or
support technologies that, as determined by the Administrator—
improve water quality of a water source;
improve the safety and security of a drinking water delivery system;
minimize contamination of drinking water and drinking water sources, including contamination by lead, bacteria, chlorides, and nitrates;
improve the quality and timeliness and decrease the cost of drinking water quality tests, especially technologies that can be deployed within water systems and at individual faucets to provide accurate real-time tests of water quality, especially with respect to lead, bacteria, and nitrate content;
increase water supplies in arid areas that are experiencing, or have recently experienced, prolonged drought conditions;
treat edge-of-field runoff to improve water quality;
treat agricultural, municipal, and industrial wastewater;
recycle or reuse water;
manage urban stormwater runoff;
reduce sewer or stormwater overflows;
conserve water;
improve water quality by reducing salinity;
mitigate air quality impacts associated with declining water resources;
address treatment byproduct and brine disposal alternatives; or
address urgent water quality and human health needs.
Priority funding— In making grants under this section, the Administrator shall give priority to projects that have the potential—
to provide substantial cost savings across a sector;
to significantly improve human health or the environment; or
to provide additional water supplies with minimal environmental impact.
Cost-Sharing— The Federal share of the cost of activities carried out using a grant under this section shall be not more than 65 percent.
Limitation— The maximum amount of a grant under this section shall be $5,000,000.
Report— Each year, the Administrator shall submit to Congress and make publicly available on the website of the Administrator a report that describes any advancements during the previous year in development of innovative water technologies made as a result of funding provided under this section.
Authorization of Appropriations— There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section $50,000,000 for each fiscal year.
Funding— Out of any funds in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, the Secretary of the Treasury shall transfer to the Administrator to provide grants to eligible entities under this section $10,000,000, to remain available until expended.
Sec. 3 Innovation in drinking water State revolving loan funds
Section 1452 of the Safe Drinking Water Act (42 U.S.C. 300j–12) is amended—
in subsection (d)—
by striking the heading and inserting “Additional assistance.—”;
in paragraph (1)—
by striking “Notwithstanding” and inserting the following:
“(A) In general—Notwithstanding”
by adding at the end the following:
“(B) Innovative water technology—Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, in the case of a State that makes a loan under subsection (a)(2) to carry out an eligible activity through the use of an innovative water technology (including technologies to improve water treatment to ensure compliance with this title and technologies to identify and mitigate sources of drinking water contamination, including lead contamination), the State may provide additional subsidization, including forgiveness of principal that is not more than 50 percent of the cost of the portion of the project associated with the innovative technology.”
in paragraph (2)—
by striking “For each fiscal year” and inserting the following:
“(A) In general—For each fiscal year”
by adding at the end the following:
“(B) Innovative water technology—For each fiscal year, not more than 20 percent of the loan subsidies that may be made by a State under paragraph (1) may be used to provide additional subsidization under subparagraph (B) of that paragraph.”
in paragraph (3), in the first sentence, by inserting “, or portion of a service area,” after “service area”; and
by adding at the end the following:
“(s) Technical assistance—The Administrator may provide technical assistance to facilitate and encourage the provision of financial assistance for the deployment of innovative water technologies.
“(t) Report—Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of the Water Technology Acceleration Act, and not less frequently than every 5 years thereafter, the Administrator shall submit to Congress a report that describes—
“(1) the amount of financial assistance provided by State loan funds to deploy innovative water technologies;
“(2) the barriers impacting greater use of innovative water technologies; and
“(3) the cost-saving potential to cities and future infrastructure investments from emerging technologies.”
Sec. 4 Innovation in State water pollution control revolving loan funds
In general— Section 603(i)(1)(B) of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (33 U.S.C. 1383(i)(1)(B)) is amended—
in clause (iii), by striking “or” at the end;
in clause (iv), by striking the period at the end and inserting “; or”; and
by adding at the end the following:
“(v) to encourage the use of innovative water technologies related to any of the issues identified in clauses (i) through (iv) or, as determined by the State, any other eligible project and activity eligible for assistance under subsection (c)”
Innovative water technologies— Section 603 of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (33 U.S.C. 1383) is amended by adding at the end the following:
“(j) Technical assistance—The Administrator may provide technical assistance to facilitate and encourage the provision of financial assistance for innovative water technologies.
“(k) Report—Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of the Water Technology Acceleration Act, and not less frequently than every 5 years thereafter, the Administrator shall submit to Congress a report that describes—
“(1) the amount of financial assistance provided by State water pollution control revolving funds to deploy innovative water technologies;
“(2) the barriers impacting greater use of innovative water technologies; and
“(3) the cost-saving potential to cities and future infrastructure investments from emerging technologies.”