42 U.S.C. § 300j–1a — Innovative water technology grant program

(a) Definitions. The "Administrator" is the head of the EPA. An "eligible entity" is a public water system (as defined in section 300f(4)), a college or university, a research institution or foundation, a regional water organization, or a nonprofit described in section 300j–1(e)(8). (b) Grant program authorized. The EPA must run a grant program to speed up the development and use of new water technologies that tackle drinking water supply, quality, treatment, or security problems facing public water systems, areas on private wells, or source waters. (c) Grants. Under this program, the EPA gives grants to eligible entities to develop, test, and deploy new water technologies, or to give technical help deploying technologies already proven to work. (d) Selection criteria. The EPA must award these grants competitively to the entities it decides are best suited to do the work, giving priority to projects likely to cut costs for ratepayers or future capital spending, to significantly improve health or the environment, or to add drinking water supply with minimal environmental impact. (e) Cost-sharing. The federal government can't pay more than 65 percent of a grant-funded project's cost. (f) Limitation. No single grant under this section can exceed $5,000,000. (g) Report. Every year, the EPA must report to Congress, and post publicly on its website, on any progress made developing new water technologies through this section's funding. (h) Partnerships. Grant-funded projects can be carried out by an eligible entity working with a private partner, such as a farmer, a farmer cooperative, or a company that makes water technologies. (i) Authorization of appropriations. Congress could spend $10,000,000 a year on this program for fiscal years 2019 and 2020.