SUBCHAPTER VI—STATE WATER POLLUTION CONTROL REVOLVING FUNDS
§1381. Grants to States for establishment of revolving funds
(a) General authority
Subject to the provisions of this subchapter, the Administrator shall make capitalization grants to each State for the purpose of establishing a water pollution control revolving fund to accomplish the objectives, goals, and policies of this chapter by providing assistance for projects and activities identified in
(b) Schedule of grant payments
The Administrator and each State shall jointly establish a schedule of payments under which the Administrator will pay to the State the amount of each grant to be made to the State under this subchapter. Such schedule shall be based on the State's intended use plan under
(1) such payments shall be made in quarterly installments, and
(2) such payments shall be made as expeditiously as possible, but in no event later than the earlier of—
(A) 8 quarters after the date such funds were obligated by the State, or
(B) 12 quarters after the date such funds were allotted to the State.
(June 30, 1948, ch. 758, title VI, §601, as added
Editorial Notes
Amendments
2014—Subsec. (a).
Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
Effective Date of 2014 Amendment
§1382. Capitalization grant agreements
(a) General rule
To receive a capitalization grant with funds made available under this subchapter and
(b) Specific requirements
The Administrator shall enter into an agreement under this section with a State only after the State has established to the satisfaction of the Administrator that—
(1) the State will accept grant payments with funds to be made available under this subchapter and
(2) the State will deposit in the fund from State moneys an amount equal to at least 20 percent of the total amount of all capitalization grants which will be made to the State with funds to be made available under this subchapter and
(3) the State will enter into binding commitments to provide assistance in accordance with the requirements of this subchapter in an amount equal to 120 percent of the amount of each such grant payment within 1 year after the receipt of such grant payment;
(4) all funds in the fund will be expended in an expeditious and timely manner;
(5) all funds in the fund as a result of capitalization grants under this subchapter and
(6) treatment works eligible under this chapter which will be constructed in whole or in part with assistance made available by a State water pollution control revolving fund authorized under this subchapter, or
(7) in addition to complying with the requirements of this subchapter, the State will commit or expend each quarterly grant payment which it will receive under this subchapter in accordance with laws and procedures applicable to the commitment or expenditure of revenues of the State;
(8) in carrying out the requirements of
(9) the State will require as a condition of making a loan or providing other assistance, as described in
(10) the State will make annual reports to the Administrator on the actual use of funds in accordance with
(11) the State will establish, maintain, invest, and credit the fund with repayments, such that the fund balance will be available in perpetuity for activities under this chapter;
(12) any fees charged by the State to recipients of assistance that are considered program income will be used for the purpose of financing the cost of administering the fund or financing projects or activities eligible for assistance from the fund;
(13) beginning in fiscal year 2016, the State will require as a condition of providing assistance to a municipality or intermunicipal, interstate, or State agency that the recipient of such assistance certify, in a manner determined by the Governor of the State, that the recipient—
(A) has studied and evaluated the cost and effectiveness of the processes, materials, techniques, and technologies for carrying out the proposed project or activity for which assistance is sought under this subchapter; and
(B) has selected, to the maximum extent practicable, a project or activity that maximizes the potential for efficient water use, reuse, recapture, and conservation, and energy conservation, taking into account—
(i) the cost of constructing the project or activity;
(ii) the cost of operating and maintaining the project or activity over the life of the project or activity; and
(iii) the cost of replacing the project or activity; and
(14) a contract to be carried out using funds directly made available by a capitalization grant under this subchapter for program management, construction management, feasibility studies, preliminary engineering, design, engineering, surveying, mapping, or architectural related services shall be negotiated in the same manner as a contract for architectural and engineering services is negotiated under
(June 30, 1948, ch. 758, title VI, §602, as added
Editorial Notes
Amendments
2014—Subsec. (b)(6).
Subsec. (b)(9).
Subsec. (b)(11) to (14).
Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
Effective Date of 2014 Amendment
Amendment by
§1383. Water pollution control revolving loan funds
(a) Requirements for obligation of grant funds
Before a State may receive a capitalization grant with funds made available under this subchapter and
(b) Administration
Each State water pollution control revolving fund shall be administered by an instrumentality of the State with such powers and limitations as may be required to operate such fund in accordance with the requirements and objectives of this chapter.
(c) Projects and activities eligible for assistance
The amounts of funds available to each State water pollution control revolving fund shall be used only for providing financial assistance—
(1) to any municipality or intermunicipal, interstate, or State agency for construction of publicly owned treatment works (as defined in
(2) for the implementation of a management program established under
(3) for development and implementation of a conservation and management plan under
(4) for the construction, repair, or replacement of decentralized wastewater treatment systems that treat municipal wastewater or domestic sewage;
(5) for measures to manage, reduce, treat, or recapture stormwater or subsurface drainage water;
(6) to any municipality or intermunicipal, interstate, or State agency for measures to reduce the demand for publicly owned treatment works capacity through water conservation, efficiency, or reuse;
(7) for the development and implementation of watershed projects meeting the criteria set forth in
(8) to any municipality or intermunicipal, interstate, or State agency for measures to reduce the energy consumption needs for publicly owned treatment works;
(9) for reusing or recycling wastewater, stormwater, or subsurface drainage water;
(10) for measures to increase the security of publicly owned treatment works;
(11) to any qualified nonprofit entity, as determined by the Administrator, to provide assistance to owners and operators of small and medium publicly owned treatment works—
(A) to plan, develop, and obtain financing for eligible projects under this subsection, including planning, design, and associated preconstruction activities; and
(B) to assist such treatment works in achieving compliance with this chapter; and
(12) to any qualified nonprofit entity, as determined by the Administrator, to provide assistance to an eligible individual (as defined in subsection (j))—
(A) for the repair or replacement of existing individual household decentralized wastewater treatment systems; or
(B) in a case in which an eligible individual resides in a household that could be cost-effectively connected to an available publicly owned treatment works, for the connection of the applicable household to such treatment works.
(d) Types of assistance
Except as otherwise limited by State law and provided in subsection (k), a water pollution control revolving fund of a State under this section may be used only—
(1) to make loans, on the condition that—
(A) such loans are made at or below market interest rates, including interest free loans, at terms not to exceed the lesser of 30 years and the projected useful life (as determined by the State) of the project to be financed with the proceeds of the loan;
(B) annual principal and interest payments will commence not later than 1 year after completion of any project and all loans will be fully amortized upon the expiration of the term of the loan;
(C) the recipient of a loan will establish a dedicated source of revenue for repayment of loans;
(D) the fund will be credited with all payments of principal and interest on all loans; and
(E) for a treatment works proposed for repair, replacement, or expansion, and eligible for assistance under subsection (c)(1), the recipient of a loan shall—
(i) develop and implement a fiscal sustainability plan that includes—
(I) an inventory of critical assets that are a part of the treatment works;
(II) an evaluation of the condition and performance of inventoried assets or asset groupings;
(III) a certification that the recipient has evaluated and will be implementing water and energy conservation efforts as part of the plan; and
(IV) a plan for maintaining, repairing, and, as necessary, replacing the treatment works and a plan for funding such activities; or
(ii) certify that the recipient has developed and implemented a plan that meets the requirements under clause (i);
(2) to buy or refinance the debt obligation of municipalities and intermunicipal and interstate agencies within the State at or below market rates, where such debt obligations were incurred after March 7, 1985;
(3) to guarantee, or purchase insurance for, local obligations where such action would improve credit market access or reduce interest rates;
(4) as a source of revenue or security for the payment of principal and interest on revenue or general obligation bonds issued by the State if the proceeds of the sale of such bonds will be deposited in the fund;
(5) to provide loan guarantees for similar revolving funds established by municipalities or intermunicipal agencies;
(6) to earn interest on fund accounts; and
(7) for the reasonable costs of administering the fund and conducting activities under this subchapter, except that such amounts shall not exceed 4 percent of all grant awards to such fund under this subchapter, $400,000 per year, or 1/5 percent per year of the current valuation of the fund, whichever amount is greatest, plus the amount of any fees collected by the State for such purpose regardless of the source.
(e) Limitation to prevent double benefits
If a State makes, from its water pollution revolving fund, a loan which will finance the cost of facility planning and the preparation of plans, specifications, and estimates for construction of publicly owned treatment works, the State shall ensure that if the recipient of such loan receives a grant under
(f) Consistency with planning requirements
A State may provide financial assistance from its water pollution control revolving fund only with respect to a project which is consistent with plans, if any, developed under
(g) Priority list requirement
The State may provide financial assistance from its water pollution control revolving fund only with respect to a project for construction of a treatment works described in subsection (c)(1) if such project is on the State's priority list under
(h) Eligibility of non-Federal share of construction grant projects
A State water pollution control revolving fund may provide assistance (other than under subsection (d)(1) of this section) to a municipality or intermunicipal or interstate agency with respect to the non-Federal share of the costs of a treatment works project for which such municipality or agency is receiving assistance from the Administrator under any other authority only if such assistance is necessary to allow such project to proceed.
(i) Additional subsidization
(1) In general
In any case in which a State provides assistance to an eligible recipient under subsection (d), the State may provide additional subsidization (including forgiveness of principal, grants, negative interest loans, other loan forgiveness, and through buying, refinancing, or restructuring debt)—
(A) in assistance to a municipality or intermunicipal, interstate, or State agency to benefit a municipality that—
(i) meets the affordability criteria of the State established under paragraph (2); or
(ii) does not meet the affordability criteria of the State if the recipient—
(I) seeks additional subsidization to benefit individual ratepayers in the residential user rate class;
(II) demonstrates to the State that such ratepayers will experience a significant hardship from the increase in rates necessary to finance the project or activity for which assistance is sought; and
(III) ensures, as part of an assistance agreement between the State and the recipient, that the additional subsidization provided under this paragraph is directed through a user charge rate system (or other appropriate method) to such ratepayers; or
(B) to implement a process, material, technique, or technology—
(i) to address water-efficiency goals;
(ii) to address energy-efficiency goals;
(iii) to mitigate stormwater runoff; or
(iv) to encourage sustainable project planning, design, and construction.
(2) Affordability criteria
(A) Establishment
(i) In general
Not later than September 30, 2015, and after providing notice and an opportunity for public comment, a State shall establish affordability criteria to assist in identifying municipalities that would experience a significant hardship raising the revenue necessary to finance a project or activity eligible for assistance under subsection (c)(1) if additional subsidization is not provided.
(ii) Contents
The criteria under clause (i) shall be based on income and unemployment data, population trends, and other data determined relevant by the State, including whether the project or activity is to be carried out in an economically distressed area, as described in
(B) Existing criteria
If a State has previously established, after providing notice and an opportunity for public comment, affordability criteria that meet the requirements of subparagraph (A)—
(i) the State may use the criteria for the purposes of this subsection; and
(ii) those criteria shall be treated as affordability criteria established under this paragraph.
(C) Information to assist States
The Administrator may publish information to assist States in establishing affordability criteria under subparagraph (A).
(3) Limitations
(A) In general
A State may provide additional subsidization in a fiscal year under this subsection only if the total amount appropriated for making capitalization grants to all States under this subchapter for the fiscal year exceeds $1,000,000,000.
(B) Total amount of subsidization
(i) In general
For each fiscal year, of the amount of the capitalization grant received by the State under this subchapter, the total amount of additional subsidization made available by a State under paragraph (1)—
(I) may not exceed 30 percent; and
(II) to the extent that there are sufficient applications for assistance to communities described in that paragraph, may not be less than 10 percent.
(ii) Exclusion
A loan from the water pollution control revolving fund of a State with an interest rate equal to or greater than 0 percent shall not be considered additional subsidization for purposes of this subparagraph.
(C) Applicability
The authority of a State to provide additional subsidization under this subsection shall apply to amounts received by the State in capitalization grants under this subchapter for fiscal years beginning after September 30, 2014.
(D) Consideration
If the State provides additional subsidization to a municipality or intermunicipal, interstate, or State agency under this subsection that meets the criteria under paragraph (1)(A), the State shall take the criteria set forth in
(j) Definition of eligible individual
In subsection (c)(12), the term "eligible individual" means a member of a household, the members of which have a combined income (for the most recent 12-month period for which information is available) equal to not more than 50 percent of the median nonmetropolitan household income for the State in which the household is located, according to the most recent decennial census.
(k) Additional use of funds
A State may use an additional 2 percent of the funds annually awarded to each State under this subchapter for nonprofit organizations (as defined in
(June 30, 1948, ch. 758, title VI, §603, as added
Editorial Notes
Amendments
2021—Subsec. (d).
Subsec. (i)(1).
Subsec. (i)(3)(B).
Subsec. (k).
2018—Subsec. (c)(12).
Subsec. (j).
2016—Subsec. (i)(1).
Subsec. (i)(1)(A).
2014—Subsec. (c).
Subsec. (d)(1)(A).
Subsec. (d)(1)(B).
Subsec. (d)(1)(E).
Subsec. (d)(7).
Subsec. (i).
Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
Effective Date of 2014 Amendment
Amendment by
§1384. Allotment of funds
(a) Formula
Sums authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section for each of fiscal years 1989 and 1990 shall be allotted by the Administrator in accordance with
(b) Reservation of funds for planning
Each State shall reserve each fiscal year 1 percent of the sums allotted to such State under this section for such fiscal year, or $100,000, whichever amount is greater, to carry out planning under
(c) Allotment period
(1) Period of availability for grant award
Sums allotted to a State under this section for a fiscal year shall be available for obligation by the State during the fiscal year for which sums are authorized and during the following fiscal year.
(2) Reallotment of unobligated funds
The amount of any allotment not obligated by the State by the last day of the 2-year period of availability established by paragraph (1) shall be immediately reallotted by the Administrator on the basis of the same ratio as is applicable to sums allotted under subchapter II of this chapter for the second fiscal year of such 2-year period. None of the funds reallotted by the Administrator shall be reallotted to any State which has not obligated all sums allotted to such State in the first fiscal year of such 2-year period.
(June 30, 1948, ch. 758, title VI, §604, as added
Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
Use of Capitalization Grant Funds for Construction Grants
§1385. Corrective action
(a) Notification of noncompliance
If the Administrator determines that a State has not complied with its agreement with the Administrator under
(b) Withholding of payments
If a State does not take corrective action within 60 days after the date a State receives notification of such action under subsection (a), the Administrator shall withhold additional payments to the State until the Administrator is satisfied that the State has taken the necessary corrective action.
(c) Reallotment of withheld payments
If the Administrator is not satisfied that adequate corrective actions have been taken by the State within 12 months after the State is notified of such actions under subsection (a), the payments withheld from the State by the Administrator under subsection (b) shall be made available for reallotment in accordance with the most recent formula for allotment of funds under this subchapter.
(June 30, 1948, ch. 758, title VI, §605, as added
§1386. Audits, reports, and fiscal controls; intended use plan
(a) Fiscal control and auditing procedures
Each State electing to establish a water pollution control revolving fund under this subchapter shall establish fiscal controls and accounting procedures sufficient to assure proper accounting during appropriate accounting periods for—
(1) payments received by the fund;
(2) disbursements made by the fund; and
(3) fund balances at the beginning and end of the accounting period.
(b) Annual Federal audits
The Administrator shall, at least on an annual basis, conduct or require each State to have independently conducted reviews and audits as may be deemed necessary or appropriate by the Administrator to carry out the objectives of this section. Audits of the use of funds deposited in the water pollution revolving fund established by such State shall be conducted in accordance with the auditing procedures of the Government Accountability Office, including
(c) Intended use plan
After providing for public comment and review, each State shall annually prepare a plan identifying the intended uses of the amounts available to its water pollution control revolving fund. Such intended use plan shall include, but not be limited to—
(1) a list of those projects for construction of publicly owned treatment works on the State's priority list developed pursuant to
(2) a description of the short- and long-term goals and objectives of its water pollution control revolving fund;
(3) information on the activities to be supported, including a description of project categories, discharge requirements under subchapters III and IV of this chapter, terms of financial assistance, and communities served;
(4) assurances and specific proposals for meeting the requirements of paragraphs (3), (4), (5), and (6) of
(5) the criteria and method established for the distribution of funds.
(d) Annual report
Beginning the first fiscal year after the receipt of payments under this subchapter, the State shall provide an annual report to the Administrator describing how the State has met the goals and objectives for the previous fiscal year as identified in the plan prepared for the previous fiscal year pursuant to subsection (c), including identification of loan recipients, loan amounts, and loan terms and similar details on other forms of financial assistance provided from the water pollution control revolving fund.
(e) Annual Federal oversight review
The Administrator shall conduct an annual oversight review of each State plan prepared under subsection (c), each State report prepared under subsection (d), and other such materials as are considered necessary and appropriate in carrying out the purposes of this subchapter. After reasonable notice by the Administrator to the State or the recipient of a loan from a water pollution control revolving fund, the State or loan recipient shall make available to the Administrator such records as the Administrator reasonably requires to review and determine compliance with this subchapter.
(f) Applicability of subchapter II provisions
Except to the extent provided in this subchapter, the provisions of subchapter II shall not apply to grants under this subchapter.
(June 30, 1948, ch. 758, title VI, §606, as added
Editorial Notes
Amendments
2004—Subsec. (b).
§1387. Authorization of appropriations
There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out the purposes of this subchapter—
(1) $2,400,000,000 for fiscal year 2022;
(2) $2,750,000,000 for fiscal year 2023;
(3) $3,000,000,000 for fiscal year 2024; and
(4) $3,250,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2025 and 2026.
(June 30, 1948, ch. 758, title VI, §607, as added
Editorial Notes
Amendments
2021—
§1388. Requirements
(a) In general
Funds made available from a State water pollution control revolving fund established under this subchapter may not be used for a project for the construction, alteration, maintenance, or repair of treatment works unless all of the iron and steel products used in the project are produced in the United States.
(b) Definition of iron and steel products
In this section, the term "iron and steel products" means the following products made primarily of iron or steel: lined or unlined pipes and fittings, manhole covers and other municipal castings, hydrants, tanks, flanges, pipe clamps and restraints, valves, structural steel, reinforced precast concrete, construction materials.
(c) Application
Subsection (a) shall not apply in any case or category of cases in which the Administrator finds that—
(1) applying subsection (a) would be inconsistent with the public interest;
(2) iron and steel products are not produced in the United States in sufficient and reasonably available quantities and of a satisfactory quality; or
(3) inclusion of iron and steel products produced in the United States will increase the cost of the overall project by more than 25 percent.
(d) Waiver
If the Administrator receives a request for a waiver under this section, the Administrator shall make available to the public, on an informal basis, a copy of the request and information available to the Administrator concerning the request, and shall allow for informal public input on the request for at least 15 days prior to making a finding based on the request. The Administrator shall make the request and accompanying information available by electronic means, including on the official public Internet site of the Environmental Protection Agency.
(e) International agreements
This section shall be applied in a manner consistent with United States obligations under international agreements.
(f) Management and oversight
The Administrator may retain up to 0.25 percent of the funds appropriated for this subchapter for management and oversight of the requirements of this section.
(g) Effective date
This section does not apply with respect to a project if a State agency approves the engineering plans and specifications for the project, in that agency's capacity to approve such plans and specifications prior to a project requesting bids, prior to June 10, 2014.
(June 30, 1948, ch. 758, title VI, §608, as added
Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
Effective Date
Section effective Oct. 1, 2014, see section 5006 of
§1389. Clean watersheds needs survey
(a) Requirement
Not later than 2 years after November 15, 2021, and not less frequently than once every 4 years thereafter, the Administrator shall—
(1) conduct and complete an assessment of capital improvement needs for all projects that are eligible under
(2) submit to Congress a report describing the results of the assessment completed under paragraph (1).
(b) Authorization of appropriations
There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out the initial needs survey under subsection (a) $5,000,000, to remain available until expended.
(June 30, 1948, ch. 758, title VI, §609, as added