,,ii #aagth ,,congress #b;d ,session ,s4 #chic ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,march #bb1 #bjbb,mr4 ,wyden 7for himself1 ,mr4 ,heinrich1 and ,mr4 ,merkley7 introduced the following bill2 which was read twice and referred to the ,committee on ,environment and ,public ,works ,a ,,bill ,to collect information regarding water access needs across the ,united ,states1 to provide grants for decentralized drinking water systems1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,water1 ,sanitation1 and ,hygiene ,sector ,development ,act of #bjbb or the ,,wash ,sector ,development ,act of #bjbb4 #b4 ,definitions ,in this ,act3 7#a7 ,administrator ,the term ,administrator means the ,administrator of the ,environmental ,protection ,agency4 7#b7 ,indian ,tribe ,the term ,indian ,tribe means any ,indian or ,alaska ,native tribe1 band1 nation1 pueblo1 village1 community1 component band1 or component reservation individually identified 7including parenthetically7 in the list published most recently as of the date of enactment of this ,act pursuant to section #ajd of the ,federally ,recognized ,indian ,tribe ,list ,act of #aiid 7#be ,u4,s4,c4 #eaca74 7#c7 ,state ,the term ,state means-- 7,a7 each of the #ej ,states2 7,b7 the ,district of ,columbia2 and 7,c7 any territory of the ,united ,states4 7#d7 ,tribal government ,the term ,tribal government means the recognized governing body of an ,indian ,tribe4 #c4 ,water and ,sanitation ,needs ,working ,group 7a7 ,in general ,not later than #ahj days after the date of enactment of this ,act1 the ,administrator shall establish a working group1 to be known as the ,water and ,sanitation ,needs ,working ,group 7referred to in this section as the ,working ,group7-- 7#a7 to work with a ,federal agency or independently to carry out a survey that will measure1 as accurately as possible1 the number and approximate geographic distribution of households in the ,united ,states that do not have access to drinking water infrastructure or a means for the safe collection and disposal of wastewater2 and 7#b7 on the basis of the results of the survey carried out under paragraph 7#a71 to prepare a report for ,congress that estimates the cost of capital improvements that would be needed to ensure that all households in the ,united ,states have access to reliable drinking water and adequate sanitation1 subject to the conditions that-- 7,a7 to the extent practicable1 the cost estimate prepared under this paragraph shall take into consideration the cost of project proposals that may be submitted by individuals1 the research community1 nonprofit organizations with experience in the water and sanitation sectors1 and ,federal1 ,state1 local1 or ,tribal government agencies consistent with guidance provided by the ,working ,group2 and 7,b7 the ,working ,group will not be required to collect or report personally identifiable information1 but can maintain information with respect to drinking water and sanitation needs based on ,,zip ,code or another appropriate geographic breakdown4 7b7 ,chairperson2 membership 7#a7 ,chairperson ,the ,administrator shall serve as the chairperson of the ,working ,group4 7#b7 ,membership ,in addition to the ,administrator1 the ,working ,group shall comprise senior representatives from such ,federal agencies as the ,administrator determines to be appropriate1 including-- 7,a7 the ,department of the ,interior1 including the ,bureau of ,indian ,affairs2 7,b7 the ,department of ,agriculture2 7,c7 the ,census ,bureau2 7,d7 the ,department of ,health and ,human ,services1 including the ,indian ,health ,service2 and 7,e7 the ,department of ,housing and ,urban ,development4 7c7 ,duties ,the ,working ,group shall-- 7#a7 leverage the expertise of industry1 the research community1 nongovernmental organizations1 and utilities1 including through the incorporation of information that could be collected by utilities1 circuit riders1 and technical assistance providers2 7#b7 consult1 on a regular basis1 with ,states1 units of local government1 ,indian tribes1 and relevant ,federal agencies not included in the membership of the ,working ,group2 and 7#c7 in carrying out subsection 7a7-- 7,a7 seek to determine whether the decennial census or another existing survey of the ,federal ,government presents an efficient opportunity for collecting the information described in paragraph 7#a7 of that subsection2 7,b7 seek to coordinate ,federal programs and policies to support the collection and use of the information described in that subsection2 7,c7 develop a methodology for creating the cost estimate required under paragraph 7#b7 of that subsection2 and 7,d7 oversee the collection of-- 7i7 the information described in paragraph 7#a7 of that subsection2 and 7ii7 the information necessary to create the cost estimate required under paragraph 7#b7 of that subsection4 7d7 ,report on water and sanitation needs ,not less frequently than once every #b years1 the ,administrator shall submit to ,congress a report that describes the activities and findings of the ,working ,group1 including-- 7#a7 an explanation of the methodology used by the ,working ,group to determine drinking water and sanitation needs2 7#b7 an estimate of the amount of funds necessary to provide all households with access to reliable drinking water and adequate sanitation2 and 7#c7 a breakdown by ,state and1 if possible1 congressional district of-- 7,a7 drinking water and sanitation needs2 and 7,b7 the amount of funding required to address those needs4 7e7 ,authorization of appropriations ,there are authorized to be appropriated to the ,administrator and other necessary ,federal agencies to collect the information and prepare the reports required under this section-- 7#a7 for each of fiscal years #bjbc through #bjbg1 #aj1jjj1jjj2 and 7#b7 for fiscal year #bjbh and each fiscal year thereafter1 such sums as may be necessary4 #d4 ,grants for construction and refurbishment of individual household or community decentralized drinking water systems for individuals with low or moderate income ,part ,e of the ,safe ,drinking ,water ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #cjj;j et seq47 is amended by adding at the end the following3 #adei;,h4 ,grants for construction and refurbishment of individual household or community decentralized drinking water systems for individuals with low or moderate income 7a7 ,definitions ,in this section3 7#a7 ,eligible individual ,the term eligible individual means a member of a low-income or moderate-income household1 the members of which have a combined income 7for the most recent #ab-month period for which information is available7 equal to not more than #hj percent of the median nonmetropolitan household income for the ,state1 ,indian land1 or territory in which the household is located1 according to the most recent information collected by the ,census ,bureau4 7#b7 ,indian land ,the term ,indian land includes-- 7,a7 ,indian country 7as defined in section #aaea of title #ah1 ,united ,states ,code72 7,b7 any land in ,alaska owned1 pursuant to the ,alaska ,native ,claims ,settlement ,act 7#dc ,u4,s4,c4 #afja et seq471 by an ,indian tribe that is a ,native village 7as defined in section #c of that ,act 7#dc ,u4,s4,c4 #afjb77 or by a ,village ,corporation 7as defined in section #c of that ,act 7#dc ,u4,s4,c4 #afjb77 that is associated with an ,indian tribe2 7,c7 any land on which the seat of a ,tribal government 7as defined in section #b of the ,,wash ,sector ,development ,act of #bjbb7 is located2 and 7,d7 any land that is part of a ,tribal designated statistical area associated with an ,indian tribe1 or an ,alaska ,native village statistical area associated with an ,indian tribe1 as defined by the ,census ,bureau for the purposes of the most recent decennial census4 7b7 ,grant program 7#a7 ,in general ,subject to the availability of appropriations1 the ,administrator shall establish a program under which the ,administrator shall provide grants to private nonprofit organizations for the purpose of improving general welfare by providing assistance to eligible individuals-- 7,a7 for the construction1 repair1 or replacement of an individual household decentralized drinking water system2 7,b7 for the installation of a larger decentralized drinking water system that is designed to provide treatment or drinking water for #b or more households in which eligible individuals reside1 if-- 7i7 site conditions at the households are unsuitable for the installation of an individually owned decentralized drinking water system2 7ii7 multiple examples of unsuitable site conditions exist in close geographic proximity to each other2 and 7iii7 a larger decentralized drinking water system could be cost-effectively installed2 or 7,c7 for the creation and support of an on-site maintenance entity or user association with the ability to collect fees to provide for the ongoing operation1 maintenance1 and replacement of an installed decentralized drinking water system4 7#b7 ,application ,to be eligible to receive a grant under this subsection1 a private nonprofit organization shall submit to the ,administrator an application at such time1 in such manner1 and containing such information as the ,administrator determines to be appropriate4 7#c7 ,priority ,in awarding grants under this subsection1 the ,administrator shall give priority to applicants that-- 7,a7 have demonstrated expertise in working with local communities to implement infrastructure projects1 such as experience promoting the safe and effective use of household decentralized drinking water systems2 7,b7 propose to serve individuals or communities lacking-- 7i7 a safe drinking water system2 and 7ii7 a feasible connection to a reliable public water system2 and 7,c7 demonstrate that the decentralized drinking water infrastructure to be constructed1 repaired1 or replaced using amounts from a grant under this subsection will be operated1 maintained1 and replaced by the individuals or communities that will use the infrastructure1 which may be demonstrated through-- 7i7 a study demonstrating the ability of the individual or community to pay for that operation1 maintenance1 and replacement2 or 7ii7 the creation of an on-site maintenance entity or user association with the ability to collect fees to provide for ongoing operation1 maintenance1 and replacement4 7#d7 ,administrative expenses ,a private nonprofit organization may use amounts provided under this subsection to pay the administrative expenses associated with the provision of the services described in paragraph 7#a71 as the ,administrator determines to be appropriate4 7c7 ,grants 7#a7 ,in general ,subject to paragraph 7#b71 a private nonprofit organization shall use a grant provided under subsection 7b7 for the services described in paragraph 7#a7 of that subsection4 7#b7 ,application ,to be eligible to receive the services described in subsection 7b77#a71 an eligible individual shall submit to the private nonprofit organization serving the area in which the individual or community household decentralized drinking water system of the eligible individuals is1 or is proposed to be1 located an application at such time1 in such manner1 and containing such information as the private nonprofit organization determines to be appropriate4 7#c7 ,priority ,in awarding grants under this subsection1 a private nonprofit organization shall give priority to any eligible individual who does not have-- 7,a7 access to a drinking water system2 and 7,b7 a feasible connection to a reliable public water system4 7d7 ,report ,not later than #b years after the date of enactment of this section1 the ,administrator shall submit to the ,committee on ,environment and ,public ,works of the ,senate and the ,committee on ,energy and ,commerce of the ,house of ,representatives a report describing the recipients of grants under the program under this section and the results of the program under this section4 7e7 ,authorization of appropriations 7#a7 ,in general ,there is authorized to be appropriated to the ,administrator to carry out this section #ej1jjj1jjj for each of fiscal years #bjbc through #bjbg4 7#b7 ,limitation on use of funds ,of the amounts made available for grants under paragraph 7#a71 not more than #b percent may be used to pay the administrative costs of the ,administrator4 7#c7 ,indian land ,of the amounts made available under paragraph 7#a71 the ,administrator shall use not less than #e percent to make grants to private nonprofit organizations that serve eligible individuals that reside on ,indian land4 4