View all text of Subchapter II [§ 1281 - § 1302f]
§ 1302e. Connection to publicly owned treatment works
(a) DefinitionsIn this section:
(1) Eligible entityThe term “eligible entity” means—
(A) an owner or operator of a publicly owned treatment works that assists or is seeking to assist low-income or moderate-income individuals with connecting the household of the individual to the publicly owned treatment works; or
(B) a nonprofit entity that assists low-income or moderate-income individuals with the costs associated with connecting the household of the individual to a publicly owned treatment works.
(2) Program
(3) Qualified individual
(b) Establishment
(c) Application
(1) In general
(2) Requirement
(d) Selection criteriaIn selecting recipients of grants under the program, the Administrator shall use the following criteria:
(1) Whether the eligible entity seeking a grant provides services to, or works directly with, qualified individuals.
(2) Whether the eligible entity seeking a grant—
(A) has an existing program to assist in covering the costs incurred in connecting a household to a publicly owned treatment works; or
(B) seeks to create a program described in subparagraph (A).
(e) Requirements
(1) Voluntary connectionBefore providing funds to a qualified individual for the costs described in subsection (b), an eligible entity shall ensure that—
(A) the qualified individual has connected to the publicly owned treatment works voluntarily; and
(B) if the eligible entity is not the owner or operator of the publicly owned treatment works to which the qualified individual has connected, the publicly owned treatment works to which the qualified individual has connected has agreed to the connection.
(2) Reimbursements from publicly owned treatment worksAn eligible entity that is an owner or operator of a publicly owned treatment works may reimburse a qualified individual that has already incurred the costs described in subsection (b) by—
(A) reducing the amount otherwise owed by the qualified individual to the owner or operator for wastewater or other services provided by the owner or operator; or
(B) providing a direct payment to the qualified individual.
(f) Authorization of appropriations
(1) In general
(2) Limitations on use of funds
(A) Small systemsOf the amounts made available for grants under paragraph (1), to the extent that there are sufficient applications, not less than 15 percent shall be used to make grants to—
(i) eligible entities described in subsection (a)(1)(A) that are owners and operators of publicly owned treatment works that serve fewer than 3,300 people; and
(ii) eligible entities described in subsection (a)(1)(B) that provide the assistance described in that subsection in areas that are served by publicly owned treatment works that serve fewer than 3,300 people.
(B) Administrative costs
(June 30, 1948, ch. 758, title II, § 227, as added Pub. L. 117–58, div. E, title II, § 50209, Nov. 15, 2021, 135 Stat. 1167.)