I 
111TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 2969 
To authorize the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency to 
establish water system adaptation partnerships. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JUNE 19, 2009 
Mrs. CAPPS (for herself, Ms. MATSUI, Mr. CARNAHAN, Ms. SCHWARTZ, Mrs. 
NAPOLITANO, Mr. INSLEE, and Mr. BLUMENAUER) introduced the fol-
lowing bill; which was referred to the Committee on Transportation and 
Infrastructure, and in addition to the Committee on Energy and Com-
merce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in 
each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdic-
tion of the committee concerned 
A BILL 
To authorize the Administrator of the Environmental Protec-
tion Agency to establish water system adaptation part-
nerships. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Water System Adapta-
tion Partnerships Act of 2009’’. 
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SEC. 2. WATER SYSTEM ADAPTATION PARTNERSHIPS. 
(a) GRANTS.—Beginning in fiscal year 2010, the Ad-
ministrator of the Environmental Protection Agency shall 
make grants to water systems to assist in planning, de-
signing, constructing, implementing, or maintaining any 
program, strategy, or infrastructure improvement— 
(1) to conserve water or increase water use effi-
ciency; 
(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 manage-
ment, conveyance, or treatment of water, waste-
water, 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 ad-
vanced water treatment, water supply management, 
or water demand management technologies or proc-
esses (such as those used in water reuse and recy-
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cling 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 re-
sources or infrastructure as a result of ongoing 
or forecasted changes to the hydrological sys-
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tem brought about by factors arising from glob-
al 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 in-
crease the water system’s resiliency to these risks or 
reduce the water system’s direct or indirect green-
house gas emissions; and 
(4) demonstrate the consistency of the program, 
strategy, or infrastructure improvement with an ap-
plicable 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 im-
pacts on water quality or quantity; 
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(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 cli-
mate 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 sub-
section (a) shall not exceed, in a single calendar 
year, 50 percent of the cost of the program, strat-
egy, 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 
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submitted by the water system under subsection (b), 
the Administrator shall— 
(A) include the value of any in-kind serv-
ices that substantially contributes toward the 
completion of the program, strategy, or infra-
structure 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 infor-
mation on project applications received and funded annu-
ally. 
(g) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) The term ‘‘Administrator’’ means the Ad-
ministrator of the Environmental Protection Agency. 
(2) The term ‘‘water system’’ means a commu-
nity water system as defined in section 1401 of the 
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Safe Drinking Water Act (42 U.S.C. 300f), a treat-
ment 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. 
Æ 
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