I 
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. BARRAGA´N, Mr. DESAULNIER, Mr. GRI-
JALVA, 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 com-
mittee 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 Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Water Recycling In-
vestment and Improvement Act’’. 
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SEC. 2. COMPETITIVE GRANT PROGRAM FOR THE FUNDING 
OF 
WATER 
RECYCLING 
AND 
REUSE 
PROJECTS. 
(a) COMPETITIVE GRANT PROGRAM FOR THE FUND-
ING OF WATER RECYCLING AND REUSE PROJECTS.—Sec-
tion 1602(f) of the Reclamation Wastewater and Ground-
water 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 pri-
ority to projects that meet one or more of the fol-
lowing 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 agen-
cies. 
‘‘(C) Projects that are regional in nature. 
‘‘(D) Projects with multiple stakeholders. 
‘‘(E) Projects that provide multiple bene-
fits, including water supply reliability, eco-sys-
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tem benefits, groundwater management and en-
hancements, 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 legis-
lation 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 GROUND-
WATER 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). 
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(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 con-
strued 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 estab-
lish 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 crit-
ical 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 
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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.—Alter-
native water source projects selected by the Adminis-
trator under this section shall reflect a variety of 
geographical and environmental conditions. 
‘‘(e) USES OF GRANTS.—Amounts from grants re-
ceived under this section may be used for engineering, de-
sign, construction, and final testing of alternative water 
source projects designed to meet critical water supply 
needs. Such amounts may not be used for planning, feasi-
bility studies, operation, maintenance, replacement, repair, 
or rehabilitation. 
‘‘(f) COST SHARING.—The Federal share of the eligi-
ble 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. 
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‘‘(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 environ-
mentally sustainable manner by conserving, man-
aging, reclaiming, or reusing water, wastewater, or 
stormwater, 
or 
by 
treating 
wastewater 
or 
stormwater. Such term does not include water treat-
ment 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.’’. 
Æ 
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