Drinking Water Protection Act

Summary: Drinking Water Protection Act  This bill amends the Safe Drinking Water Act to direct the Environmental Protection Agency to develop and submit to Congress a strategic plan for assessing and managing risks associated with algal toxins in drinking water provided by public water systems. Cyanobacteria, also known as blue-green algae, have the ability to produce cyanotoxins, or algal toxins. When certain conditions are favorable, algae can rapidly multiply causing blooms, or dense surface scums, that may be toxic.  The plan must include steps and time lines to:  evaluate the risk to human health from drinking water contaminated with algal toxins;  establish, publish, and update a comprehensive list of algal toxins that may have an adverse effect on human health;  summarize the known adverse human health effects of algal toxins and the factors that cause toxin-producing cyanobacteria and algae to grow rapidly and make toxins;  determine whether to publish health advisories for algal toxins and establish relevant guidance;  recommend feasible treatment options; and  enter into cooperative agreements with, and provide technical assistance to, affected states and public water systems to manage risks associated with algal toxins.    

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Drinking Water Protection Act''.

SEC. 2. ALGAL TOXIN RISK ASSESSMENT AND MANAGEMENT.

    (a) In General.--Part E of the Safe Drinking Water Act (42 U.S.C. 
300j et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following:

``SEC. 1459. ALGAL TOXIN RISK ASSESSMENT AND MANAGEMENT.

    ``(a) Definition of Feasible.--In this section, the term `feasible' 
has the meaning given the term in section 1412(b)(4)(D).
    ``(b) Strategic Plan.--
            ``(1) Development.--Not later than 90 days after the date 
        of enactment of this section, the Administrator shall develop 
        and submit to Congress a strategic plan for assessing and 
        managing risks associated with algal toxins in drinking water 
        provided by public water systems.
            ``(2) Inclusions.--The strategic plan shall include steps 
        and timelines--
                    ``(A) to evaluate the risk to human health from 
                drinking water provided by public water systems 
                contaminated with algal toxins;
                    ``(B) to establish, publish, and update a 
                comprehensive list of algal toxins that the 
                Administrator determines may have an adverse effect on 
                human health when present in drinking water provided by 
                public water systems, taking into account likely 
                exposure levels;
                    ``(C) to summarize--
                            ``(i) the known adverse human health 
                        effects of algal toxins included on the list 
                        published under subparagraph (B) when present 
                        in drinking water provided by public water 
                        systems; and
                            ``(ii) factors that cause toxin-producing 
                        cyanobacteria and algae to proliferate and 
                        express toxins;
                    ``(D) with respect to algal toxins included on the 
                list published under subparagraph (B), to determine 
                whether--
                            ``(i) to publish health advisories pursuant 
                        to section 1412(b)(1)(F) for such algal toxins 
                        in drinking water provided by public water 
                        systems;
                            ``(ii) to establish guidance regarding 
                        feasible analytical methods to quantify the 
                        presence of algal toxins; and
                            ``(iii) to establish guidance regarding the 
                        frequency of monitoring necessary to determine 
                        if such algal toxins are present in drinking 
                        water provided by public water systems;
                    ``(E) to recommend feasible treatment options, 
                including procedures, equipment, and source water 
                protection practices, to mitigate any adverse public 
                health effects of algal toxins included on the list 
                published under subparagraph (B); and
                    ``(F) to enter into cooperative agreements with, 
                and provide technical assistance to, affected States 
                and public water systems, as identified by the 
                Administrator, for the purpose of managing risks 
                associated with algal toxins included on the list 
                published under subparagraph (B).
            ``(3) Updates.--The Administrator shall, as appropriate, 
        update and submit to Congress the strategic plan developed 
        under paragraph (1).
    ``(c) Information Coordination.--In carrying out this section, the 
Administrator shall--
            ``(1) identify gaps in the Agency's understanding of algal 
        toxins, including--
                    ``(A) the human health effects of algal toxins 
                included on the list published under subsection 
                (b)(2)(B); and
                    ``(B) methods and means of testing and monitoring 
                for the presence of harmful algal toxins in source 
                water of, or drinking water provided by, public water 
                systems;
            ``(2) as appropriate, consult with--
                    ``(A) other Federal agencies that--
                            ``(i) examine or analyze cyanobacteria or 
                        algal toxins; or
                            ``(ii) address public health concerns 
                        related to harmful algal blooms;
                    ``(B) States;
                    ``(C) operators of public water systems;
                    ``(D) multinational agencies;
                    ``(E) foreign governments;
                    ``(F) research and academic institutions; and
                    ``(G) companies that provide relevant drinking 
                water treatment options; and
            ``(3) assemble and publish information from each Federal 
        agency that has--
                    ``(A) examined or analyzed cyanobacteria or algal 
                toxins; or
                    ``(B) addressed public health concerns related to 
                harmful algal blooms.
    ``(d) Use of Science.--The Administrator shall carry out this 
section in accordance with the requirements described in section 
1412(b)(3)(A), as applicable.''.
    (b) Report to Congress.--Not later than 90 days after the date of 
enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General of the United States 
shall prepare and submit to Congress a report that includes--
            (1) an inventory of funds--
                    (A) expended by the United States, for each of 
                fiscal years 2010 through 2014, to examine or analyze 
                toxin-producing cyanobacteria and algae or address 
                public health concerns related to harmful algal blooms; 
                and
                    (B) that includes the specific purpose for which 
                the funds were made available, the law under which the 
                funds were authorized, and the Federal agency that 
                received or spent the funds; and
            (2) recommended steps to reduce any duplication, and 
        improve interagency coordination, of such expenditures.