New legislation introduced in the House of Representatives last week would specifically exempt fire hydrants from new lead-free requirements scheduled to take effect in January. AMWA and other water sector organizations have expressed support for the bill, and backers hope to move it through Congress before the end of the year.
Sponsored by Reps. Bill Johnson (R-Ohio) and Paul Tonko (D-N.Y.), the “Community Fire Safety Act” (H.R. 3588) would simply add fire hydrants to an existing list of products (such as toilets, bidets and shower valves) that are statutorily exempt from the new lead-free standards. The bill would also request the National Drinking Water Advisory Council to take into account all potential sources of lead throughout water distribution systems when considering revisions to the Lead and Copper Rule, but this would not alter the hydrant exemption.
This legislative fix was made necessary by an October 22 EPA announcement subjecting newly installed fire hydrants to updated lead-free standards for pipes and plumbing fixtures that take effect on January 4. Water utilities warned this would strand communities with millions of dollars worth of unusable hydrant inventories after that date, while also preventing the replacement of broken hydrants until new compliant models could be procured.
Indications are that H.R. 3588 could pass the House in early December, which should leave sufficient time for the Senate to act on the bill and send it to President Obama before January 4.