§ 2866 — Water Conservation At Military Installations

(1) The Secretary of Defense shall permit and encourage each military department, Defense Agency, and other instrumentality of the Department of Defense to participate in programs conducted by a utility for the management of water demand or for water conservation. (2) The Secretary of Defense may authorize a military installation to accept a financial incentive (including an agreement to reduce the amount of a future water bill), goods, or services generally available from a utility, for the purpose of adopting technologies and practices that— (A) relate to the management of water demand or to water conservation; and (B) as determined by the Secretary, are cost effective for the Federal Government. (3) Subject to paragraph (4), the Secretary of Defense may authorize the Secretary of a military department having jurisdiction over a military installation to enter into an agreement with a utility to design and implement a cost-effective program that provides incentives for the management of water demand and for water conservation and that addresses the requirements and circumstances of the installation. Activities under the program may include the provision of water management services, the alteration of a facility, and the installation and maintenance by the utility of a water-saving device or technology. (A) If an agreement under paragraph (3) provides for a utility to pay in advance the financing costs for the design or implementation of a program referred to in that paragraph and for such advance payment to be repaid by the United States, the cost of such advance payment may be recovered by the utility under terms that are not less favorable than the terms applicable to the most favored customer of the utility. (B) Subject to the availability of appropriations, a repayment of an advance payment under subparagraph (A) shall be made from funds available to a military department for the purchase of utility services. (C) An agreement under paragraph (3) shall provide that title to a water-saving device or technology installed at a military installation pursuant to the agreement shall vest in the United States. Such title may vest at such time during the term of the agreement, or upon expiration of the agreement, as determined to be in the best interests of the United States. (1) Financial incentives received from utilities for management of water demand or water conservation under subsection (a)(2) shall be credited to an appropriation designated by the Secretary of Defense. Amounts so credited shall be merged with the appropriation to which credited and shall be available for the same purposes and the same period as the appropriation with which merged. (2) Water cost savings realized under subsection (a)(3) shall be used as follows: (A) One-half of the amount shall be used for water conservation activities at such buildings, facilities, or installations of the Department of Defense as may be designated (in accordance with regulations prescribed by the Secretary of Defense) by the head of the department, agency, or instrumentality that realized the water cost savings. (B) One-half of the amount shall be used at the installation at which the savings were realized, as determined by the commanding officer of such installation consistent with applicable law and regulations, for— (i) improvements to existing military family housing units; (ii) any unspecified minor construction project that will enhance the quality of life of personnel; or (iii) any morale, welfare, or recreation facility or service. (1) The Secretary of Defense may carry out a military construction project for water conservation, not previously authorized, using funds appropriated or otherwise made available to the Secretary for water conservation. (2) When a decision is made to carry out a project under paragraph (1), the Secretary of Defense shall notify the appropriate committees of Congress of that decision. Such project may be carried out only after the end of the 14-day period beginning on the date the notification is received by such committees in an electronic medium pursuant to section 480 of this title.