Water Resources Technical Assistance Review Act
The Water Resources Technical Assistance Review Act would require the Comptroller General (GAO) to conduct a comprehensive review of all EPA clean water technical assistance authorities and programs, with particular focus on the EPA “Water Technical Assistance initiative” (WaterTA). Within one year of enactment, the GAO must describe what technical assistance is available to states, tribes, local governments, and non-governmental organizations, including who is served and what activities occurred over the prior five years. The GAO also must evaluate how WaterTA selects and partners with providers, how communities are matched to assistance, how outreach is conducted to economically distressed areas, and the costs and outcomes of the assistance provided. Additional tasks include assessing duplication across EPA programs, capacity-building effects, unmet needs in economically distressed communities, coordination with other federal agencies, and whether the assistance supports adoption of cost-effective technologies and long-term water quality improvements. After the GAO report, the EPA Administrator must submit a compliance plan detailing actions taken to implement the recommendations, within 90 days and then annually for five years. The bill defines “covered technical assistance” as EPA authorities, initiatives, or programs related to clean water infrastructure. In short, the act creates a formal, government-wide oversight process to evaluate, document, and improve EPA’s clean water technical assistance, with an emphasis on transparency, coordination, efficiency, and long-term community benefits.
Key Points
- 1GAO review mandate: Within 1 year, GAO must initiate a comprehensive review of all covered clean water technical assistance authorities and programs, including WaterTA.
- 2Scope of review: The GAO shall describe who is served, geographic and population reach, and summarize activities from the prior five years; assess provider selection, contracting, coordination with states/tribes/regions, community matching and outreach, and the type, cost, and outcomes of assistance.
- 3Duplication and capacity-building analyses: The review must evaluate overlapping programs across EPA and determine how assistance builds communities’ ability to access other EPA water infrastructure programs.
- 4Needs assessment and coordination: The review must identify unmet needs of economically distressed communities and evaluate how the EPA coordinates with other federal agencies providing water-related technical assistance.
- 5Compliance plan and reporting: After the GAO report, the EPA Administrator must produce an action plan within 90 days and then annually for five years detailing steps to implement the recommendations.