M ore than two dozen legislative proposals in the 114 th Congress included provisions concerning water use efficiency, or water conservation. These legislative proposals did not seek to set specific enforceable water use efficiency standards or goals. Rather, most sought to encourage or provide incentives for practices, technologies, and measures to achieve improved water use efficiency. Many of the water use efficiency proposals also had been introduced in previous Congresses, but did not advance. The 114 th Congress legislation can be broadly grouped in five categories of proposals, which are described in this report. A few bills passed the Senate or House, and one measure that addressed water use efficiency in part (i.e., water use in buildings) was enacted. Codifying the WaterSense Program

WaterSense is a voluntary labeling and recognition program created by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in 2006 as a companion to Energy Star, which is a similar program administered by EPA and the Department of Energy (DOE). Bills to establish WaterSense in law included the following. Underlying these provisions is concern that there is need for more and better data on water use that would assist decisionmaking by government, water managers, communities, and the private sector. Water Use Efficiency in Buildings

Buildings are estimated to account for approximately 13% of total water consumed in the United States per day. It is sometimes argued that, on matters of policy, the federal government should lead by example. Several bills in the 114 th Congress addressed aspects of water use efficiency in federal buildings. Financial and Technical Assistance

The largest number of water use efficiency bills in the 114 th Congress proposed to provide technical and financial assistance for adopting or demonstrating practices or measures that conserve water. A number of the bills proposed to assist owners and operators of public water systems and water utilities in adopting or installing water-efficient systems, while a few proposed to help provide incentives for consumers to purchase and install water-efficient products or services. Two bills that addressed the western U.S. drought ( S. 1837 and H.R. Tax Incentives

The final category of bills in the 114 th Congress proposed to use the federal tax code to provide incentives for improved water use efficiency. 4615 ) proposed to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to provide that rebates or other types of financial incentives received for installing water conservation measures are exempt from federal taxation. Some of the policy approaches described in this report were included in bills that addressed multiple aspects of water use efficiency. In other proposals, water use efficiency was one of a number of issues, but not the main issue, contained in comprehensive policy proposals on topics such as energy policy (e.g., H.R.
More than two dozen legislative proposals in the 114th Congress were introduced that included provisions concerning water use efficiency, or water conservation, in nonagricultural sectors. These legislative proposals did not seek to set specific enforceable water use efficiency standards or goals. Rather, most sought to encourage or provide incentives for adoption of practices, technologies, and measures to achieve improved water use efficiency.
The 114th Congress legislation can be broadly grouped in five categories of proposals.
Codifying the WaterSense program. WaterSense is a voluntary labeling and recognition program that seeks to help consumers and businesses identify highly water-efficient products, services, and homes. It was established administratively by the Environmental Protection Agency in 2006. Nine legislative measures included provisions to establish the program in law. Research and development. Several bills focused on research and development aspects of water use efficiency, including proposals that addressed needs for more and better water use data. Research also is examining technology advances in water and wastewater treatment facilities that would achieve water and energy savings. Water use efficiency in buildings. Buildings are estimated to account for about 13% of total water consumed in the United States; one-quarter of that total is used by commercial buildings, and three-quarters by residences. It is sometimes argued that the federal government should lead by example. Thus, several bills in the 114th Congress addressed aspects of water use efficiency in federal buildings. Financial and technical assistance. The largest number of bills in the 114th Congress proposed to provide technical and financial assistance for identifying, adopting, or demonstrating practices or measures that conserve water. A number of the bills proposed to assist owners and operators of public water systems and water utilities in adopting or installing water-efficient systems, while a few proposed to help provide incentives for consumers to purchase and install water-efficient products or services. Federal tax incentives. Several bills proposed to use the federal tax code to provide incentives for adopting or installing equipment or practices to save water, such as a federal tax credit for purchasing qualified equipment or federal tax exemption of rebates or other financial incentives received for installing water conservation measures.
Some of the policy approaches described in this report were included in bills that addressed multiple aspects of water use efficiency alone, such as WaterSense and financial assistance. In other proposals, water use efficiency was one of a number of issues, but not the main issue, contained in a comprehensive policy proposal on topics such as energy policy, water policy generally, or solutions to the western U.S. drought. A few of the bills discussed here passed the Senate or House during the 114th Congress, and one measure that addressed water use efficiency in part (i.e., water use in buildings) was enacted. Many of these proposals also were introduced in previous Congresses.