The water crisis in Flint, Michigan brought water infrastructure and contaminant issues to the forefront on Capitol Hill in February. While negotiations continue on high-profile proposals to replace Flint’s inventory of service lines and to alter public notification requirements when high levels of lead are detected in drinking water, several lawmakers in the House and Senate offered their own ideas inspired by the crisis and the enhanced congressional interest in water infrastructure:
- H.R. 4438, the "Drinking Water Contamination Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act," introduced by Rep. Candice Miller (R-Mich.). The bill would provide a $1 billion grant to Michigan to pay for efforts to replace lead pipes in Flint.
- The “Water Investment Trust Fund Act” (H.R. 4468). Sponsored by Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-Ore.), the bill mirrors his previous legislative proposals to establish a drinking water and wastewater infrastructure trust fund, which have never gained traction in Congress. According to Rep. Blumenauer the bill would “provide needed revenue for states and local governments to make overdue investments in wastewater and drinking water infrastructure and will also take a hard look at the systemic challenges affecting access to safe water in low-income populations.” The legislation would allow companies to voluntarily contribute to the trust fund with dollars then distributed to states as grants and loans via the existing SRF programs.
- The “Families of Flint Act” (H.R. 4479), sponsored by Rep. Dan Kildee (D-Mich). The bill would provide the city with a $385 million grant (subject to a state match) to replace lead service lines, plus additional dollars to support early education initiatives and health monitoring services for the people of Flint.
- S. 2535, a bill sponsored by Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) to increase public notification requirements following a detection of high lead levels in drinking water and set new optimum corrosion control treatment deadlines for small and medium water systems.
- The “Low-Income Sewer and Water Assistance Act” (H.R. 4542), sponsored by Rep. Marcia Fudge (D-Ohio) which is modeled on the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program and would create a pilot program at EPA to help low-income households pay their water and sewer bills. The pilot program would award grants to at least ten municipalities subject to Clean Water Act consent decrees, and the municipality could then use the funding to offset the water and sewer bills of low-income households.
Most of these new bills are unlikely to advance through Congress, or will see significant revisions before any further action is taken. They are also likely to only represent the first wave of new legislation inspired by the crisis in Flint, as congressional staff have told AMWA that additional new proposals are under development on Capitol Hill.