Water in the 21st Century Act

Bill: 113-s-2771
Sponsor: Sen. Boxer, Barbara [D-CA]
Introduced: 2014-07-31 in the Senate
Policy area: Environmental Protection
Subjects: Alternative and renewable resources
Arizona
Atmospheric science and weather
California
Climate change and greenhouse gases
Colorado
Congressional oversight
Consumer affairs
Energy efficiency and conservation
Environmental assessment, monitoring, research
Environmental technology
Fishes
Floods and storm protection
Government information and archives
Government lending and loan guarantees
Housing industry and standards
Idaho
Kansas
Land transfers
Marine and coastal resources, fisheries
Montana
Nebraska
Nevada
New Mexico
North Dakota
Oklahoma
Oregon
Research administration and funding
Residential rehabilitation and home repair
South Dakota
Texas
Utah
Washington State
Water quality
Water resources funding
Water storage
Water use and supply
Wildlife conservation and habitat protection
Wyoming

Summary:
action_date: 2014-07-31
text: 
Water in the 21st Century Act or W21 - Establishes within the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) a WaterSense program to identify and promote water efficient products, buildings, landscapes, facilities, processes, and services.
 
 Requires the EPA to identify other voluntary approaches to encourage recycling and reuse technologies to improve water efficiency or lower water use and to implement those approaches, if appropriate. 
 
Establishes a State Residential Water Efficiency and Conservation Incentives Program to provide financial incentives for consumers to purchase and install products, buildings, landscapes, facilities, processes, and services labeled under the WaterSense program. 
 
Requires the EPA to make grants to owners or operators of water systems to address, mitigate, and adapt to any ongoing or forecasted impact of climate change on a region's water quality or quantity.
 
 Authorizes the Department of the Interior to provide financial assistance for water recycling, water infrastructure, enhanced energy efficiency in water systems, desalination projects, permanent water storage, and integrated water management in specified states.
 
Authorizes the transfer of title to nonfederal entities of reclamation projects in need of rehabilitation that are authorized before enactment of this Act under certain conditions. 
Requires the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) to establish an open water data system. 
 
Reauthorizes the Water Resources Research Act of 1984 and the Water Desalination Act of 1996 through FY2020.
 
Requires the
 
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, after receiving a request from a nonfederal sponsor, to review the operation of a reservoir and update the water control manual to incorporate improved weather and runoff forecasting methods, if appropriate. 
 
Directs the EPA to develop voluntary national drought resilience guidelines relating to preparedness planning and investments for water users and providers. 
 
Requires the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to prepare a salmon drought plan for California. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2014-07-31
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.
action_date: 2014-07-31
text: Introduced in Senate