I

103D CONGRESS

2D SESSION H. R. 4651

To require bottled water to meet maximum contaminant levels established

under the Safe Drinking Water Act, and for other purposes.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

JUNE 27, 1994

Mr. BRYANT introduced the following bill; which was referred to the

Committee on Energy and Commerce

A BILL

To require bottled water to meet maximum contaminant levels established under the Safe Drinking Water Act, and

for other purposes.

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

3 SECTION 1. BOTTLED WATER STANDARDS.

4 (a) FDA RULES.—(1) At any time after the Adminis5 trator of the Environmental Protection Agency publishes

6 a proposed maximum contaminant level under section

7 1412 of the Safe Drinking Water Act (title XIV of the

8 Public Health Service Act) but not later than 180 days

9 after the Administrator publishes a final maximum con10 taminant level, the Secretary of Health and Human Serv-
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1 ices, acting through the Commissioner of the Food and

2 Drug Administration, after public notice and comment,

3 shall promulgate a regulation establishing a quality level

4 for the contaminant in bottled water or make a finding

5 that such a regulation is not necessary to protect the pub6 lic health because the contaminant is contained in water

7 in the public water systems (as defined under section

8 1401(4) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 300f(4)) and not in water

9 used for bottled water.

10 (2) The regulation shall include any monitoring re11 quirements determined appropriate for bottled water by

12 the Secretary.

13 (3) The regulation—

14 (A) shall require that the quality level for the

15 contaminant in bottled water be as stringent as the

16 maximum contaminant level for the contaminant

17 published by the Administrator of the Environ18 mental Protection Agency; and

19 (B) may require that the quality level be more

20 stringent than the maximum contaminant level if

21 necessary to provide ample public health protection

22 under this Act.

23 (b) DEFAULT.—(1) If the Secretary fails to promul24 gate a regulation as provided in subsection (a) within the

25 180-day time period specified in subsection (a), the regula-
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1 tion with respect to the final maximum contaminant level

2 published by the Administrator of the Environmental Pro3 tection Agency (as described in subsection (a)) shall be

4 considered, as of the date on which the Secretary is re5 quired to establish a regulation under subsection (a), as

6 the final regulation for the establishment of the quality

7 level for a contaminant required under subsection (a) for

8 the purpose of establishing or amending a bottled water

9 quality level standard with respect to the contaminant.

10 (2) Not later than 30 days after the end of the 180-

11 day period described in subsection (a), the Secretary shall,

12 with respect to a maximum contaminant level that is con13 sidered as a quality level under paragraph (1), publish a

14 notice in the Federal Register that sets forth the quality

15 level and appropriate monitoring requirements required

16 under paragraphs (1) and (2) of subsection (a) and that

17 provides that the quality level standard and requirements

18 shall take effect on the date on which the final regulation

19 of the maximum contaminant level takes effect.

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