The purpose of the ballot question is to determine whether Pennsylvania voters approve of the Commonwealth borrowing $400,000,000 to make grants and loans to municipalities and public utilities for the acquisition, construction, improvement, expansion, extension, repair or rehabilitation of drinking water system, storm water and nonpoint source projects, nutrient credits and wastewater treatment system projects.

A "drinking water system" consists of reservoirs, wells, water treatment facilities and equipment such as pipes, tanks, filters and pumps, which collect, treat, store and supply safe drinking water for public use.

"Storm water" is drainage runoff from the surface of land resulting from precipitation or snow or ice melt.

A "nonpoint source" is a pollution source not regulated under the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) caused by rainfall or snowmelt moving over and through the ground. Examples include pollution from past mining activities, urban and agricultural runoff, atmospheric deposition, on-lot sewage systems and sediment.

A "nutrient credit" is a unit of compliance approved by the Department of Environmental Protection that corresponds to a pound of reduction of nitrogen or phosphorus.

A "wastewater treatment system" consists of sewage treatment facilities and equipment such as pipes, tanks, filters and pumps, which collect, treat, store and discharge wastewater from homes, business and industry.

A limitation of the ballot question is that, of the $400,000,000 borrowed, the amount that may be use for grants, as opposed to loans, may not exceed $200,000,000. Another limitation is that the amount of a grant, loan or combination of grant and loan awarded for a project may not exceed the monetary limits set by Act 64 of 2008, which vary based on the annual average daily flow of a sewage treatment system or the population served by a water system.

The effect of the ballot question is to authorize the Commonwealth to borrow $400,000,000 to fund grants and loans to municipalities and public utilities for the acquisition, construction, expansion, extension, repair or rehabilitation of drinking water system, storm water and nonpoint source projects, nutrient credits and wastewater treatment system projects. The grants and loans are to be awarded by the Pennsylvania Infrastructure Investment Authority, which is given authority under Act 64 of 2008 to adopt regulations and take all other actions necessary to implement and administer Act 64 of 2008.