S. 1696

Smart Energy and Water Efficiency Act of 2017

This bill amends the Energy Policy Act of 2005 to require the Department of Energy (DOE) to establish and carry out a smart energy and water efficiency management pilot program to award grants to utilities, municipalities, water districts, Indian tribes or Alaska Native villages, and other water authorities for demonstrating advanced and innovative technology-based solutions that will:

• increase the energy efficiency of water, wastewater, and water reuse systems;
• improve those systems to help communities make significant progress in conserving water, saving energy, and reducing costs;
• support the implementation of innovative processes and the installation of advanced automated systems that provide real-time data on energy and water; and
• improve energy and water conservation, water quality, and predictive maintenance of energy and water systems, through the use of Internet-connected technologies.

DOE must annually evaluate each grant project and make best practices identified in the evaluations available to the public.