The House of Representatives overwhelmingly approved bipartisan legislation last week that would require EPA step in to notify the public when dangerous concentrations of lead are detected in drinking water supplies. H.R. 4470 (the “Safe Drinking Water Act Improved Compliance Act”) was sponsored by Rep. Dan Kildee (D-Mich.) and the entire Michigan House delegation.
The bill would require water utilities to notify the public within 24 hours “of any exceedance at the 90th percentile of a lead action level” issued under the Safe Drinking Water Act that carries the potential for serious adverse human health effects as a result of short-term exposure. EPA would be required to deliver this notice to the public if the local water system fails to do so within 24 hours.
Other sections of the bill would provide EPA with 120 days to establish, in collaboration with water utilities and state regulators, a strategic plan for how communities should “conduct targeted outreach, education, technical assistance, and risk communication to populations affected by lead in a public water system.” Finally, the bill would require the agency to inform “affected persons” about any test results indicating an exceedance of a lead action level – as well as information on potential health effects and any need to seek alternate water supplies – if the local water system or the state fails to promptly deliver this information.
H.R. 4470 passed the House by a vote of 416–2. It now moves on to the Senate, where senators are still trying to negotiate a path forward for another proposal that would offer several hundred million dollars to help the city of Flint, Michigan replace lead service lines.