# Plain Language Summary of the WISE Act

The WISE Act (Water Infrastructure Sustainability and Efficiency Act) requires states to spend at least 20 percent of federal water pollution control funding on environmentally friendly water projects. Currently, states have flexibility in how they use these federal grants for water infrastructure. This bill changes that by mandating that a significant portion must go toward "green" projects—things like green infrastructure systems that naturally filter stormwater, upgrades that reduce water waste, improvements that save energy in water treatment, or other innovative environmental solutions.

The practical effect is that your state will have less discretion in deciding which water projects to fund. Instead of potentially spending most of the money on traditional pipe replacement or treatment plant upgrades, at least one-fifth of available federal dollars must go toward these greener alternatives. This could mean your community gets projects like rain gardens that absorb runoff instead of letting it flood streets, water-efficient fixtures in municipal systems, or solar panels on treatment facilities. The bill only applies this requirement if there are enough qualified green projects available to fund, so states won't be forced to spend money on projects that don't exist or aren't ready to go.

For most people, this change happens behind the scenes in how local governments plan their water infrastructure. You might not notice it directly, but over time it could mean cleaner stormwater in your neighborhood, lower water bills if efficiency projects reduce waste, or reduced flooding in areas where green infrastructure is installed. The main trade-off is that traditional water infrastructure projects might move more slowly if they're competing for a smaller share of federal funding, though the bill doesn't prevent states from funding those projects with other money sources.

WISE Act

Water Infrastructure Sustainability and Efficiency Act or the WISE Act This bill requires each state to use a certain percentage of funds it receives for capitalization of its clean water state revolving fund for projects to address green infrastructure, water or energy efficiency improvements, or other environmentally innovative activities.