Title 33, Navigation and Navigable WatersRelease 119-110

§1302c Small Publicly Owned Treatment Works Efficiency Grant Program

Title 33 › CHAPTER 26 — WATER POLLUTION PREVENTION AND CONTROL › SUBCHAPTER II — GRANTS FOR CONSTRUCTION OF TREATMENT WORKS › § 1302c

Last updated Sep 22, 2026|Official source

Summary

By 180 days after November 15, 2021, if funds are available the Administrator must start a grant program to fix or replace equipment that makes small public treatment plants use less water or energy when an efficiency audit shows it. Grants can go to owners or operators serving 10,000 people or fewer, to plants in disadvantaged communities, or to nonprofits that help them. The Administrator must report to Congress within 2 years and every 2 years after, listing recipients and activities. At least 15% of funds must go to systems serving fewer than 3,300 people, and no more than 2% may be used for administrative costs.

Full Legal Text

Title 33, §1302c

Navigation and Navigable Waters, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)Establishment

Subject to the availability of appropriations, not later than 180 days after November 15, 2021, the Administrator shall establish an efficiency grant program (referred to in this section as the “efficiency grant program”) under which the Administrator shall award grants to eligible entities for the replacement or repair of equipment that improves water or energy efficiency of small publicly owned treatment works, as identified in an efficiency audit.

(b)Eligible entities

The Administrator may award a grant under the efficiency grant program to—

(1)an owner or operator of a small publicly owned treatment works that serves—

(A)a population of not more than 10,000 people; or

(B)a disadvantaged community; or

(2)a nonprofit organization that seeks to assist a small publicly owned treatment works described in paragraph (1) to carry out the activities described in subsection (a).

(c)Report

Not later than 2 years after the date on which the Administrator establishes the efficiency grant program, and every 2 years thereafter, the Administrator shall submit to Congress a report describing—

(1)each recipient of a grant under the efficiency grant program; and

(2)a summary of the activities carried out under the efficiency grant program.

(d)Use of funds

(1)Small systems

Of the amounts made available for grants under this section, to the extent that there are sufficient applications, not less than 15 percent shall be used for grants to publicly owned treatment works that serve fewer than 3,300 people.

(2)Limitation on use of funds

Of the amounts made available for grants under this section, not more than 2 percent may be used to pay the administrative costs of the Administrator.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

33 U.S.C. § 1302c

Title 33, Navigation and Navigable Waters

Last Updated

Sep 22, 2026

Release point: 119-110