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 Use Efficiency 
and Conservation Research Act’’. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
Congress finds the following: 
(1) Between 1950 and 2000, the United States 
population increased nearly 90 percent. In that same 
period, public demand for water increased 209 per-
cent. Americans now use an average of 100 gallons of 
water per person each day. This increased demand 
has put additional stress on water supplies and dis-
tribution systems, threatening both human health and 
the environment. 
(2) Thirty-six States are anticipating local, re-
gional, or statewide water shortages by 2013. In addi-
tion, climate change related effects are expected to ex-
acerbate already scarce water resources in many 
areas of the country. 
(3) The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate 
Change’s 2007 assessment states that water stored in 
glaciers and snow cover is projected to decline, reduc-
ing water availability to one-sixth of the world’s pop-
ulation that relies upon meltwater from major moun-
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tain ranges. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate 
Change also predicts droughts will become more severe 
and longer lasting in a number of regions. 
(4) Water conservation should be a national goal 
and the Environmental Protection Agency should 
work with nongovernmental partners to achieve that 
goal. The Environmental Protection Agency should 
support the research, development, and dissemination 
of technologies and processes that will achieve greater 
water use efficiency. 
(5) WaterSense is a voluntary public-private 
partnership program established by the Environ-
mental Protection Agency to promote water efficiency 
by helping consumers identify water-efficient products 
and practices. The Environmental Protection Agency 
estimates that if all United States households in-
stalled water-efficient appliances, the country would 
save more than 3,000,000,000,000 gallons of water 
and more than $17,000,000,000 per year. 
(6) The WaterSense program has developed a 
network of partners, and therefore can disseminate the 
results of research on technologies and processes that 
achieve greater water use efficiency. 
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SEC. 3. RESEARCH PROGRAM. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Assistant Administrator for 
Research and Development of the Environmental Protection 
Agency (in this Act referred to as the ‘‘Assistant Adminis-
trator’’) shall establish a research and development program 
consistent with the plan developed under section 4 that pro-
motes water use efficiency and conservation, including— 
(1) technologies and processes that enable the col-
lection, storage, treatment, and reuse of rainwater, 
stormwater, and greywater; 
(2) water storage and distribution systems; 
(3) behavioral, social, and economic barriers to 
achieving greater water use efficiency; and 
(4) use of watershed planning directed toward 
water quality, conservation, and supply. 
(b) CONSIDERATIONS.—In planning and imple-
menting the program, the Assistant Administrator shall 
consider— 
(1) research needs identified by water resource 
managers, State and local governments, and other in-
terested parties; and 
(2) technologies and processes likely to achieve 
the greatest increases in water use efficiency and con-
servation. 
(c) MINORITY SERVING INSTITUTIONS.—In the execu-
tion of this program, the Assistant Administrator may 
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award extramural grants to institutions of higher education 
and shall encourage participation by Minority Serving In-
stitutions. 
SEC. 4. STRATEGIC RESEARCH PLAN. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Assistant Administrator shall 
coordinate the development of a strategic research plan (in 
this Act referred to as the ‘‘plan’’) for the water use effi-
ciency and conservation research and development program 
established in section 3 with all other Environmental Pro-
tection Agency research and development strategic plans. 
(b) PLAN CONTENTS.—The plan shall— 
(1) outline research goals and priorities for a 
water use efficiency and conservation research agen-
da, including— 
(A) developing innovative water supply-en-
hancing processes and technologies; and 
(B) improving existing processes and tech-
nologies, including wastewater treatment, desa-
linization, and groundwater recharge and recov-
ery schemes; 
(2) identify current Federal research efforts on 
water that are directed toward meeting the goals of 
improving water use efficiency, water conservation, or 
expanding water supply and describe how such efforts 
are coordinated with the program established in sec-
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tion 3 in order to leverage resources and avoid dupli-
cation; and 
(3) consider and utilize, as appropriate, rec-
ommendations in reports and studies conducted by 
Federal agencies, the National Research Council, the 
National Science and Technology Council, or other 
entities in the development of the plan. 
(c) SCIENCE ADVISORY BOARD REVIEW.—The Assist-
ant Administrator shall submit the plan to the Science Ad-
visory Board of the Environmental Protection Agency for 
review. 
(d) REVISION.—The plan shall be revised and amended 
as needed to reflect current scientific findings and national 
research priorities. 
SEC. 5. TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER. 
The Assistant Administrator, building on the results 
of the activities of the program established under section 
3, shall— 
(1) facilitate the adoption of technology and 
processes to promote water use efficiency and con-
servation; and 
(2) collect and disseminate information, includ-
ing the establishment of a publicly-accessible clearing-
house, on technologies and processes to promote water 
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