Smart Energy and Water Efficiency Act of 2015

To provide for a smart water resource management pilot program. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Smart Energy and Water Efficiency Act of 2015 2. Smart energy and water efficiency pilot program (a) Definitions In this section: (1) Eligible entity The term eligible entity (A) a utility; (B) a municipality; (C) a water district; and (D) any other authority that provides water, wastewater, or water reuse services. (2) Secretary The term Secretary (3) Smart energy and water efficiency pilot program The term smart energy and water efficiency pilot program pilot program (b) Smart energy and water efficiency pilot program (1) In general The Secretary shall establish and carry out a smart energy and water efficiency management pilot program in accordance with this section. (2) Purpose The purpose of the smart energy and water efficiency pilot program is to award grants to eligible entities to demonstrate advanced and innovative technology-based solutions that will— (A) increase and improve the energy efficiency of water, wastewater, and water reuse systems to help communities across the United States make significant progress in conserving water, saving energy, and reducing costs; (B) support the implementation of innovative processes and the installation of advanced automated systems that provide real-time data on energy and water; and (C) improve energy and water conservation, water quality, and predictive maintenance of energy and water systems, through the use of Internet-connected technologies, including sensors, intelligent gateways, and security embedded in hardware. (3) Project selection (A) In general The Secretary shall make competitive, merit-reviewed grants under the pilot program to not less than 3, but not more than 5, eligible entities. (B) Selection criteria In selecting an eligible entity to receive a grant under the pilot program, the Secretary shall consider— (i) energy and cost savings anticipated to result from the project; (ii) the innovative nature, commercial viability, and reliability of the technology to be used; (iii) the degree to which the project integrates next-generation sensors, software, hardware, analytics, and management tools; (iv) the anticipated cost-effectiveness of the pilot project in terms of energy efficiency savings, water savings or reuse, and infrastructure costs averted; (v) whether the technology can be deployed in a variety of geographic regions and the degree to which the technology can be implemented on a smaller or larger scale, including whether the technology can be implemented by each type of eligible entity; (vi) whether the technology has been successfully deployed elsewhere; (vii) whether the technology is sourced from a manufacturer based in the United States; and (viii) whether the project will be completed in 5 years or less. (C) Applications (i) In general Subject to clause (ii), an eligible entity seeking a grant under the pilot program shall submit to the Secretary an application at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary determines to be necessary. (ii) Contents An application under clause (i) shall, at a minimum, include— (I) a description of the project; (II) a description of the technology to be used in the project; (III) the anticipated results, including energy and water savings, of the project; (IV) a comprehensive budget for the project; (V) the names of the project lead organization and any partners; (VI) the number of users to be served by the project; and (VII) any other information that the Secretary determines to be necessary to complete the review and selection of a grant recipient. (4) Administration (A) In general Not later than 300 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall select grant recipients under this section. (B) Evaluations The Secretary shall annually carry out an evaluation of each project for which a grant is provided under this section that— (i) evaluates the progress and impact of the project; and (ii) assesses the degree to which the project is meeting the goals of the pilot program. (C) Technical and policy assistance On the request of a grant recipient, the Secretary shall provide technical and policy assistance to the grant recipient to carry out the project. (D) Best practices The Secretary shall make available to the public— (i) a copy of each evaluation carried out under subparagraph (B); and (ii) a description of any best practices identified by the Secretary as a result of those evaluations. (E) Report to congress The Secretary shall submit to Congress a report containing the results of each evaluation carried out under subparagraph (B). (c) Funding (1) In general The Secretary shall use not less than $7,500,000 of amounts made available to the Secretary to carry out this section. (2) Prioritization In funding activities under this section, the Secretary shall prioritize funding in the following manner: (A) The Secretary shall first use any unobligated amounts made available to the Secretary to carry out the activities of the Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Office. (B) After any amounts described in subparagraph (A) have been used, the Secretary shall then use any unobligated amounts (other than those described in subparagraph (A)) made available to the Secretary.

Summary: Smart Energy and Water Efficiency Act of 2015 Directs the Department of Energy (DOE) to establish and carry out a smart energy and water efficiency management pilot program to award grants to three to five eligible entities (authorities that provide water, wastewater, or water reuse services) to demonstrate advanced and innovative technology-based solutions that will: (1) increase and improve the energy efficiency of water, wastewater, and water reuse systems to help communities make significant progress in conserving water, saving energy, and reducing costs; (2) support the implementation of innovative processes and the installation of advanced automated systems that provide real-time data on energy and water; and (3) improve energy and water conservation, water quality, and predictive maintenance of energy and water systems, through the use of Internet-connected technologies, including sensors, intelligent gateways, and security embedded in hardware. Directs DOE, in selecting grant recipients, to consider: energy and cost savings anticipated to result from the project; the innovative nature, commercial viability, and reliability of the technology to be used; the degree to which the project integrates next-generation sensors, software, hardware, analytics, and management tools; the anticipated cost-effectiveness of the pilot project in terms of energy efficiency savings, water savings or reuse, and infrastructure costs averted; whether the technology can be deployed in a variety of geographic regions and the degree to which the technology can be implemented on a smaller or larger scale, including whether the technology can be implemented by each type of eligible entity; whether the technology has been successfully deployed elsewhere; whether the technology is sourced from a manufacturer based in the United States; and whether the project will be completed in five years or less. Requires DOE to evaluate, annually, each project for which a grant is provided and make best practices identified available to the public.