Signed by President Bill Clinton

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to adopt a conference report of a bill that reauthorizes the "Safe Water Drinking Act" and sets requirements regarding water contamination for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), states, and water suppliers.

Highlights:

• Requires the Administrator of the EPA to require each community water system to report on the levels of contaminants in the water to customers by mail annually.

• Requires the owner or operator of a public water system to give notice to customers within 24 hours of any failure to comply with a national primary drinking water regulation.

• Directs the Administrator of the EPA to publish a list of water contaminants, which are known to occur in water systems and which may require regulation, every 5 years.

• Instructs the Administrator of the EPA to publish a maximum contaminant level goal and a national primary drinking water regulation for any frequently occurring contaminant found to cause health problems.

• Requires the Administrator of the EPA to withdraw all regulations regarding radon levels in water and to put new regulations into effect after reviewing data from the National Academy of Sciences.

• Stipulates that states which have not ensured that all new water systems meet national primary drinking water regulations only receive 80% of their allocated funds.

• $1 billion for each fiscal year 1995 - 2003 for states that establish a drinking water treatment revolving loan fund.

• $100 million for each fiscal year 1997 - 2003 for grants for public water system supervision programs.

• $50 million for each fiscal year 1997 - 2003 for grants to States for technical and financial assistance for the construction, rehabilitation, and improvement of water supply systems and for source water quality protection programs.

• $35 million for each fiscal year 1996 - 2003 to conduct studies on ground and drinking water.

Full Bill Text

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to adopt a conference report of a bill that reauthorizes the "Safe Water Drinking Act" and sets requirements regarding water contamination for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), states, and water suppliers.

Highlights:

• Requires the Administrator of the EPA to require each community water system to report on the levels of contaminants in the water to customers by mail annually.

• Requires the owner or operator of a public water system to give notice to customers within 24 hours of any failure to comply with a national primary drinking water regulation.

• Directs the Administrator of the EPA to publish a list of water contaminants, which are known to occur in water systems and which may require regulation, every 5 years.

• Instructs the Administrator of the EPA to publish a maximum contaminant level goal and a national primary drinking water regulation for any frequently occurring contaminant found to cause health problems.

• Requires the Administrator of the EPA to withdraw all regulations regarding radon levels in water and to put new regulations into effect after reviewing data from the National Academy of Sciences.

• Stipulates that states which have not ensured that all new water systems meet national primary drinking water regulations only receive 80% of their allocated funds.

• $1 billion for each fiscal year 1995 - 2003 for states that establish a drinking water treatment revolving loan fund.

• $100 million for each fiscal year 1997 - 2003 for grants for public water system supervision programs.

• $50 million for each fiscal year 1997 - 2003 for grants to States for technical and financial assistance for the construction, rehabilitation, and improvement of water supply systems and for source water quality protection programs.

• $35 million for each fiscal year 1996 - 2003 to conduct studies on ground and drinking water.

Full Bill Text

Full Bill Text

Full Bill Text

Full Bill Text