Title 42 — The Public Health and WelfareRelease 119-73

§16198 Smart energy and water efficiency pilot program

Title 42 › Chapter CHAPTER 149— - NATIONAL ENERGY POLICY AND PROGRAMS › Subchapter SUBCHAPTER IX— - RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT › Part Part A— - Energy Efficiency › § 16198

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

Creates a pilot program to give grants to utilities, towns and cities, water districts, Indian Tribes and Alaska Native villages, and other water service authorities to test advanced technology that saves energy and water in drinking water, wastewater, and water reuse systems. The program aims to improve how much energy those systems use, help communities save water and money, install automated systems that give real-time energy and water data, and use internet-connected tools like sensors and secure hardware to improve conservation, water quality, and predictive maintenance. The Secretary must award 3 to 5 competitive grants. Winners are chosen based on factors such as energy and cost savings, how new and reliable the technology is, use of sensors/software/analytics, cost-effectiveness through measurable savings or avoided infrastructure costs, ability to work in different regions and sizes (including Tribal communities), prior successful use, U.S. manufacturing, and finishing within 5 years. Applicants must describe the project, the technology, expected energy and water savings, a budget, lead organization and partners, number of users served, and how they meet performance measures. Grant recipients had to be selected by December 27, 2021. Projects will get annual evaluations, public reports and best-practice summaries, and the Secretary will report results to Congress. Up to $15,000,000 is authorized and stays available until spent.

Full Legal Text

Title 42, §16198

The Public Health and Welfare — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)In this section:

(1)The term “eligible entity” means—

(A)a utility;

(B)a municipality;

(C)a water district;

(D)an Indian Tribe or Alaska Native village; and

(E)any other authority that provides water, wastewater, or water reuse services.

(2)The term “smart energy and water efficiency pilot program” or “pilot program” means the pilot program established under subsection (b).

(b)(1)The Secretary shall establish and carry out a smart energy and water efficiency pilot program in accordance with this section.

(2)The purpose of the smart energy and water efficiency pilot program is to award grants to eligible entities to demonstrate unique, advanced, or innovative technology-based solutions that will—

(A)improve the net energy balance of water, wastewater, and water reuse systems;

(B)improve the net energy balance of water, wastewater, and water reuse systems to help communities across the United States make measurable progress in conserving water, saving energy, and reducing costs;

(C)support the implementation of innovative and unique processes and the installation of established advanced automated systems that provide real-time data on energy and water; and

(D)improve energy-water conservation and quality and predictive maintenance through technologies that utilize internet connected technologies, including sensors, intelligent gateways, and security embedded in hardware.

(3)(A)The Secretary shall make competitive, merit-reviewed grants under the pilot program to not less than 3, but not more than 5, eligible entities.

(B)In selecting an eligible entity to receive a grant under the pilot program, the Secretary shall consider—

(i)energy and cost savings;

(ii)the uniqueness, commercial viability, and reliability of the technology to be used;

(iii)the degree to which the project integrates next-generation sensors software, analytics, and management tools;

(iv)the anticipated cost-effectiveness of the pilot project through measurable energy savings, water savings or reuse, and infrastructure costs averted;

(v)whether the technology can be deployed in a variety of geographic regions and the degree to which the technology can be implemented in a wide range of applications ranging in scale from small towns to large cities, including Tribal communities;

(vi)whether the technology has been successfully deployed elsewhere;

(vii)whether the technology was sourced from a manufacturer based in the United States; and

(viii)whether the project will be completed in 5 years or less.

(C)(i)Subject to clause (ii), an eligible entity seeking a grant under the pilot program shall submit to the Secretary an application at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary determines to be necessary.

(ii)An application under clause (i) shall, at a minimum, include—

(I)a description of the project;

(II)a description of the technology to be used in the project;

(III)the anticipated results, including energy and water savings, of the project;

(IV)a comprehensive budget for the project;

(V)the names of the project lead organization and any partners;

(VI)the number of users to be served by the project;

(VII)a description of the ways in which the proposal would meet performance measures established by the Secretary; and

(VIII)any other information that the Secretary determines to be necessary to complete the review and selection of a grant recipient.

(4)(A)Not later than 1 year after December 27, 2020, the Secretary shall select grant recipients under this section.

(B)(i)The Secretary shall annually carry out an evaluation of each project for which a grant is provided under this section that meets performance measures and benchmarks developed by the Secretary, consistent with the purposes of this section.

(ii)Consistent with the performance measures and benchmarks developed under clause (i), in carrying out an evaluation under that clause, the Secretary shall—

(I)evaluate the progress and impact of the project; and

(II)assess the degree to which the project is meeting the goals of the pilot program.

(C)On the request of a grant recipient, the Secretary shall provide technical and policy assistance.

(D)The Secretary shall make available to the public through the Internet and other means the Secretary considers to be appropriate—

(i)a copy of each evaluation carried out under subparagraph (B); and

(ii)a description of any best practices identified by the Secretary as a result of those evaluations.

(E)The Secretary shall submit to Congress a report containing the results of each evaluation carried out under subparagraph (B).

(c)There is authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary to carry out this section $15,000,000, to remain available until expended.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

42 U.S.C. § 16198

Title 42 — The Public Health and Welfare

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73