Water system adaptation partnerships

(a)

Grants

Beginning in fiscal year 2010, the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency shall make grants to water systems to assist in planning, designing, constructing, implementing, or maintaining any program, strategy, or infrastructure improvement— (1)to conserve water or increase water use efficiency; (2)to carry out water metering to measure water efficiency effectiveness of a water efficiency program; (3)to preserve or improve water quality; (4)to enhance water management by increasing source water preservation and protection, or natural or engineered green infrastructure in the management, conveyance, or treatment of water, wastewater, or stormwater; (5)to increase energy efficiency or the use and generation of renewable energy in the management, conveyance, or treatment of water, wastewater, or stormwater; (6)to support the adoption and use of advanced water treatment, water supply management, or water demand management technologies or processes (such as those used in water reuse and recycling or adaptive conservation pricing) that maintain or increase water supply or improve water quality; (7)to complete studies or assessments to project how climate change may impact the future operations and sustainability of the water system; or (8)to carry out any other activity or project to address any ongoing or forecasted, based on the best available research and data, climate-related impact on the water quality or quantity of a region of the United States that increases the resiliency of a water system to the impacts of climate change. (b)

Application

To be eligible to receive a grant from the Administrator under subsection (a), the owner or operator of a water system shall— (1)submit to the Administrator an application that includes a proposal of the program, strategy, or infrastructure improvement to be planned, designed, constructed, implemented, or maintained by the water system; (2)cite the best available research or data that describes— (A)the risk to the system’s water resources or infrastructure as a result of ongoing or forecasted changes to the hydrological system brought about by factors arising from global climate change; and (B)how the proposed program, strategy, or infrastructure improvement would perform under the anticipated climate conditions; (3)explain how the proposed program, strategy, or infrastructure improvement is expected to increase the water system's resiliency to these risks or reduce the water system’s direct or indirect greenhouse gas emissions; and (4)demonstrate the consistency of the program, strategy, or infrastructure improvement with an applicable climate adaptation plan completed and adopted by a State. (c)

Competitive process

Each calendar year, the Administrator shall conduct a competitive process to select and fund applications under this section. In carrying out the process, the Administrator shall— (1)give priority to applications that— (A)are submitted by water systems that are, based on the best available research and data, at the greatest and most immediate risk of facing significant climate-related negative impacts on water quality or quantity; (B)will impact the largest numbers of water users; and (C)will provide the greatest benefit per dollar expended; (2)solicit applications from water systems that are— (A)located in all regions of the United States; and (B)facing varying risks as a result of climate change; and (3)provide for solicitation and consideration of public input in the development of criteria used in evaluating applications. (d)

Cost sharing

(1)

Federal share

The Federal share of the cost of any program, strategy, or infrastructure improvement that is the subject of a grant awarded by the Administrator to a water system under subsection (a) shall not exceed, in a single calendar year, 50 percent of the cost of the program, strategy, or infrastructure improvement. (2)

Calculation of non-federal share

In calculating the non-Federal share of the cost of a program, strategy, or infrastructure improvement proposed by a water system through an application submitted by the water system under subsection (b), the Administrator shall— (A)include the value of any in-kind services that substantially contributes toward the completion of the program, strategy, or infrastructure improvement, as determined by the Administrator; and (B)not include any other amount that the water system receives from a Federal agency. (e)

Regulations

Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency shall promulgate final regulations to carry out this section. (f)

Report to Congress

Not later than 3 years after the date of the enactment of this Act, and every 3 years thereafter, the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency shall submit to the Congress a report on progress in implementing this section, including information on project applications received and funded annually. (g)

Definitions

In this section: (1)The term Administrator means the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency. (2)The term water system means a community water system as defined in section 1401 of the Safe Drinking Water Act (42 U.S.C. 300f), a treatment works as defined in section 212 of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (33 U.S.C. 1292), a municipal separate storm sewer system (as defined by the Administrator), or a combined sewer system as defined in 402(q) of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (33 U.S.C. 1342(q)). (h)

Authorization of appropriations

To carry out this section, there are authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be necessary.