HR 7279 115th Congress House Environmental Protection Civil actions and liability Congressional oversight Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Executive agency funding and structure Government information and archives Intergovernmental relations Licensing and registrations Solid waste and recycling State and local government operations Water quality Water storage Water use and supply

Water Infrastructure Improvement Act

Introduced: December 12, 2018 See on congress.gov

Everywhere this bill has been 17 steps

Introduced

In committee

Reported out

Passed House

Passed Senate

To President

Became law

Jan 14, 2019

Became Public Law No: 115-436.

Jan 14, 2019

Signed by President.

Jan 2, 2019

Presented to President.

Dec 22, 2018

Message on Senate action sent to the House.

Dec 22, 2018

Passed Senate without amendment by Voice Vote. (consideration: CR S8036)

Dec 22, 2018

Passed/agreed to in Senate: Passed Senate without amendment by Voice Vote.(consideration: CR S8036)

Dec 20, 2018

Received in the Senate, read twice.

Dec 19, 2018

Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.

Dec 19, 2018

On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by recorded vote (2/3 required): 351 - 10 (Roll no. 441). (text: CR H10288-10289)

Dec 19, 2018

Considered as unfinished business. (consideration: CR H10317)

Dec 19, 2018

At the conclusion of debate, the chair put the question on the motion to suspend the rules. Mr. Massie objected to the Yea - Nay vote on the grounds that a quorum was not present. Further proceedings on the motion were postponed. The point of no quorum was considered as withdrawn.

Dec 19, 2018

DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 7279.

Dec 19, 2018

Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H10288-10291)

Dec 19, 2018

Mr. Gibbs moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill.

Dec 13, 2018

Referred to the Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment.

Dec 12, 2018

Referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.

Dec 12, 2018

Introduced in House

Votes taken on this bill 1

Date	Chamber	What was voted on	Result	Yes–No
Dec 19, 2018	House · vote #441	On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass	Passed	351–10	See who voted →

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Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Water Infrastructure Improvement Act

(Sec. 3) This bill amends the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (commonly known as the Clean Water Act) to allow municipalities to develop a plan that integrates wastewater and stormwater management.

A permit for a municipal discharge under the national pollutant discharge elimination system that incorporates an integrated plan may integrate all requirements under the Act addressed in the plan, such as requirements relating to combined sewer overflows, sanitary sewer collection systems, and total maximum daily loads. A plan that is incorporated into a permit may include the implementation of green infrastructure and projects to reclaim, recycle, or reuse water. Green infrastructure includes measures that mimic natural processes to store, reuse, or reduce stormwater.

Those permits may include a schedule of compliance that allows actions for meeting water quality-based effluent limitations to be implemented over more than one permit term if the compliance schedules are authorized by state water quality standards.

A municipality under an administrative order or settlement agreement may request a modification of the order or settlement based on the municipality's integrated plan.

The EPA must report on each integrated plan developed and implemented through a permit, order, or judicial consent decree since June 5, 2012, including a description of the control measures, levels of control, estimated costs, and compliance schedules for the requirements implemented through such a plan.

(Sec. 4) The bill establishes an Office of the Municipal Ombudsman in the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to provide: (1) technical assistance to municipalities seeking to comply with the Clean Water Act, and (2) information to the EPA to ensure that agency policies are implemented by all EPA offices.

(Sec. 5) The EPA must promote the use of green infrastructure.

What's happening now January 14, 2019

Became Public Law No: 115-436.

Related & companion bills 3

Bill text 5 versions

Engrossed in House Formatted Text PDF Formatted XML
Enrolled Bill Formatted Text PDF Formatted XML
Introduced in House Formatted Text PDF Formatted XML
Public Law Formatted Text PDF United States Legislative Markup
Received in Senate Formatted Text PDF Formatted XML

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

Committees of jurisdiction 2

Transportation and Infrastructure Committee
House of Representatives
Water Resources and Environment Subcommittee
House of Representatives · subcommittee of Transportation and Infrastructure Committee

Cosponsors 2

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APA

U.S. Congress. (2026). H.R. 7279: Water Infrastructure Improvement Act. 115th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/115-HR-7279/

MLA

"H.R. 7279: Water Infrastructure Improvement Act." 115th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/115-HR-7279/.

Bluebook (legal)

H.R. 7279, 115th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/115-HR-7279/.

Markdown link

[H.R. 7279: Water Infrastructure Improvement Act](https://openamerica.io/bill/115-HR-7279/)