Water Recycling Investment and Improvement Act

[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 5127 Introduced in House (IH)]

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115th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 5127

  To establish a grant program for the funding of water recycling and 
                reuse projects, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           February 27, 2018

    Mrs. Napolitano (for herself, Ms. Barragan, Mr. DeSaulnier, Mr. 
   Grijalva, Mr. Huffman, Ms. Norton, Mr. Lowenthal, Ms. Eshoo, Mr. 
  Carbajal, and Ms. Brownley of California) introduced the following 
bill; which was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources, and in 
 addition to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, for a 
 period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for 
consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the 
                          committee concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
  To establish a grant program for the funding of water recycling and 
                reuse projects, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Water Recycling Investment and 
Improvement Act''.

SEC. 2. COMPETITIVE GRANT PROGRAM FOR THE FUNDING OF WATER RECYCLING 
              AND REUSE PROJECTS.

    (a) Competitive Grant Program for the Funding of Water Recycling 
and Reuse Projects.--Section 1602(f) of the Reclamation Wastewater and 
Groundwater Study and Facilities Act (title XVI of Public Law 102-575; 
43 U.S.C. 390h et. seq.) is amended by striking paragraphs (2) and (3) 
and inserting the following:
            ``(2) Priority.--When funding projects under paragraph (1), 
        the Secretary shall give funding priority to projects that meet 
        one or more of the following criteria:
                    ``(A) Projects that are likely to provide a more 
                reliable water supply for States and local governments.
                    ``(B) Projects that are likely to increase the 
                water management flexibility and reduce impacts on 
                environmental resources from projects operated by 
                Federal and State agencies.
                    ``(C) Projects that are regional in nature.
                    ``(D) Projects with multiple stakeholders.
                    ``(E) Projects that provide multiple benefits, 
                including water supply reliability, eco-system 
                benefits, groundwater management and enhancements, and 
                water quality improvements.''.
    (b) Authorization of Appropriations.--Section 1602(g) of the 
Reclamation Wastewater and Groundwater Study and Facilities Act (title 
XVI of Public Law 102-575; 43 U.S.C. 390h et. seq.) is amended--
            (1) by striking ``$50,000,000'' and inserting 
        ``$500,000,000''; and
            (2) by striking ``if enacted appropriations legislation 
        designates funding to them by name,''.
    (c) Duration.--Section 4013 of the WIIN Act (43 U.S.C. 390b(2)) is 
amended--
            (1) in paragraph (1), by striking ``and'';
            (2) in paragraph (2), by striking the period and inserting 
        ``; and''; and
            (3) by adding at the end the following:
            ``(3) section 4009(c).''.
    (d) Repeal of Limitations on Funding.--
            (1) Reclamation wastewater and groundwater study and 
        facilities act.--Section 1631 of the Reclamation Wastewater and 
        Groundwater Study and Facilities Act (43 U.S.C. 390h-13) is 
        amended by striking subsection (d).
            (2) Clean water act.--Section 220 of the Federal Water 
        Pollution Control Act (33 U.S.C. 1300) is amended to read as 
        follows:

``SEC. 220. PROGRAM FOR ALTERNATIVE WATER SOURCE PROJECTS.

    ``(a) Policy.--Nothing in this section shall be construed to affect 
the application of section 101(g) of this Act and all of the provisions 
of this section shall be carried out in accordance with the provisions 
of section 101(g).
    ``(b) In General.--The Administrator may establish a program to 
make grants to State, interstate, and intrastate water resource 
development agencies (including water management districts and water 
supply authorities), local government agencies, private utilities, and 
nonprofit entities for alternative water source projects to meet 
critical water supply needs.
    ``(c) Eligible Entity.--The Administrator may make grants under 
this section to an entity only if the entity has authority under State 
law to develop or provide water for municipal, industrial, and 
agricultural uses in an area of the State that is experiencing critical 
water supply needs.
    ``(d) Selection of Projects.--
            ``(1) Limitation.--A project that has received funds for 
        construction under the reclamation and reuse program conducted 
        under the Reclamation Projects Authorization and Adjustment Act 
        of 1992 (43 U.S.C. 390h et seq.) shall not be eligible for 
        grant assistance under this section.
            ``(2) Geographical distribution.--Alternative water source 
        projects selected by the Administrator under this section shall 
        reflect a variety of geographical and environmental conditions.
    ``(e) Uses of Grants.--Amounts from grants received under this 
section may be used for engineering, design, construction, and final 
testing of alternative water source projects designed to meet critical 
water supply needs. Such amounts may not be used for planning, 
feasibility studies, operation, maintenance, replacement, repair, or 
rehabilitation.
    ``(f) Cost Sharing.--The Federal share of the eligible costs of an 
alternative water source project carried out using assistance made 
available under this section shall not exceed 50 percent.
    ``(g) Reports.--On or before September 30, 2023, the Administrator 
shall transmit to Congress a report on the results of the program 
established under this section, including progress made toward meeting 
the critical water supply needs of the participants in the program.
    ``(h) Definitions.--In this section, the following definitions 
apply:
            ``(1) Alternative water source project.--The term 
        `alternative water source project' means a project designed to 
        provide municipal, industrial, and agricultural water supplies 
        in an environmentally sustainable manner by conserving, 
        managing, reclaiming, or reusing water, wastewater, or 
        stormwater, or by treating wastewater or stormwater. Such term 
        does not include water treatment or distribution facilities.
            ``(2) Critical water supply needs.--The term `critical 
        water supply needs' means existing or reasonably anticipated 
        future water supply needs that cannot be met by existing water 
        supplies, as identified in a comprehensive statewide or 
        regional water supply plan or assessment projected over a 
        planning period of at least 20 years.
    ``(i) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated to carry out this section a total of $375,000,000 
beginning in fiscal year 2019. Such sums shall remain available until 
expended.''.
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