I 

117TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 3291 

To amend the Safe Drinking Water Act to provide assistance for States, 

territories, areas affected by natural disasters, and water systems and 

schools affected by PFAS or lead, and to require the Environmental 

Protection Agency to promulgate national primary drinking water regulations for PFAS, microcystin toxin, and 1,4–dioxane, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

MAY 18, 2021 

Mr. TONKO (for himself and Mr. PALLONE) introduced the following bill; 

which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce 

A BILL 

To amend the Safe Drinking Water Act to provide assistance 

for States, territories, areas affected by natural disasters, 

and water systems and schools affected by PFAS or 

lead, and to require the Environmental Protection Agency to promulgate national primary drinking water regulations for PFAS, microcystin toxin, and 1,4–dioxane, 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, 


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1 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS. 

2 (a) SHORT TITLE.—This Act may be cited as the 

3 ‘‘Assistance, Quality, and Affordability Act of 2021’’. 

4 (b) TABLE OF CONTENTS.—The table of contents for 

5 this Act is as follows: 

Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents. 

TITLE I—INFRASTRUCTURE 

Sec. 101. Drinking water system resilience funding. 

Sec. 102. Grants for State programs. 

Sec. 103. American iron and steel products. 

Sec. 104. Allotments for territories. 

Sec. 105. Drinking water SRF funding. 

Sec. 106. Lead service line replacement. 

Sec. 107. PFAS treatment grants. 

Sec. 108. Voluntary school and child care program lead testing grant program. 

Sec. 109. Drinking water fountain replacement for schools. 

Sec. 110. Indian reservation drinking water program. 

Sec. 111. Assistance for areas affected by natural disasters. 

TITLE II—SAFETY 

Sec. 201. Enabling EPA to set standards for new drinking water contaminants. 

Sec. 202. National primary drinking water regulations for PFAS. 

Sec. 203. National primary drinking water regulations for microcystin toxin. 

Sec. 204. National primary drinking water regulations for 1,4–dioxane. 

Sec. 205. Elimination of small system variances. 

TITLE III—AFFORDABILITY 

Sec. 301. Emergency relief program. 

6 TITLE I—INFRASTRUCTURE 

7 SEC. 101. DRINKING WATER SYSTEM RESILIENCE FUNDING. 

8 Section 1433(g)(6) of the Safe Drinking Water Act 

9 (42 U.S.C. 300i–2(g)(6)) is amended— 

10 (1) by striking ‘‘25,000,000’’ and inserting 

11 ‘‘50,000,000’’; and 

12 (2) by striking ‘‘2020 and 2021’’ and inserting 

13 ‘‘2022 through 2031’’. 


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1 SEC. 102. GRANTS FOR STATE PROGRAMS. 

2 Section 1443(a)(7) of the Safe Drinking Water Act 

3 (42 U.S.C. 300j–2(a)(7)) is amended by striking ‘‘and 

4 2021’’ and inserting ‘‘through 2031’’. 

5 SEC. 103. AMERICAN IRON AND STEEL PRODUCTS. 

6 Section 1452(a)(4)(A) of the Safe Drinking Water 

7 Act (42 U.S.C. 300j–12(a)(4)(A)) is amended by striking 

8 ‘‘During fiscal years 2019 through 2023, funds’’ and in9 serting ‘‘Funds’’. 

10 SEC. 104. ALLOTMENTS FOR TERRITORIES. 

11 Section 1452(j) of the Safe Drinking Water Act (42 

12 U.S.C. 300j–12(j)) is amended by striking ‘‘0.33 percent’’ 

13 and inserting ‘‘1.5 percent’’. 

14 SEC. 105. DRINKING WATER SRF FUNDING. 

15 Section 1452(m)(1) of the Safe Drinking Water Act 

16 (42 U.S.C. 300j–12(m)(1)) is amended— 

17 (1) in subparagraph (B), by striking ‘‘and’’; 

18 (2) in subparagraph (C), by striking ‘‘2021.’’ 

19 and inserting ‘‘2021;’’; and 

20 (3) by adding at the end the following: 

21 ‘‘(D) $4,140,000,000 for fiscal year 2022; 

22 ‘‘(E) $4,800,000,000 for fiscal year 2023; 

23 and 

24 ‘‘(F) $5,500,000,000 for each of fiscal 

25 years 2024 through 2031.’’. 


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1 SEC. 106. LEAD SERVICE LINE REPLACEMENT. 

2 (a) IN GENERAL.—Section 1452 of the Safe Drink3 ing Water Act (42 U.S.C. 300j–12) is amended by adding 

4 at the end the following: 

5 ‘‘(u) LEAD SERVICE LINE REPLACEMENT.— 

6 ‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—In addition to the capital7 ization grants to eligible States under subsection 

8 (a)(1), the Administrator shall offer to enter into 

9 agreements with eligible States, Indian Tribes, and 

10 the territories described in subsection (j) to make 

11 capitalization grants, including letters of credit, to 

12 such States, Indian Tribes, and territories under 

13 this subsection to fund the replacement of lead serv14 ice lines. 

15 ‘‘(2) ALLOTMENTS.— 

16 ‘‘(A) STATES.—Funds made available 

17 under this subsection shall be allotted and real18 lotted to the extent practicable, to States as if 

19 allotted or reallotted under subsection (a)(1) as 

20 a capitalization grant under such subsection. 

21 ‘‘(B) INDIAN TRIBES.—The Administrator 

shall set aside 11 22 ⁄2 percent of the amounts 

23 made available each fiscal year to carry out this 

24 subsection to make grants to Indian Tribes. 

25 ‘‘(C) OTHER AREAS.—The funds made 

26 available under this subsection shall be allotted 


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1 to territories described in subsection (j) in ac2 cordance with such subsection. 

3 ‘‘(3) PRIORITY.—Each State that has entered 

4 into a capitalization agreement pursuant to this sec5 tion shall annually prepare a plan that identifies the 

6 intended uses of the amounts made available pursu7 ant to this subsection, which shall— 

8 ‘‘(A) comply with the requirements of sub9 section (b)(2); and 

10 ‘‘(B) provide, to the maximum extent prac11 ticable, that priority for the use of funds be 

12 given to projects that replace lead service lines 

13 serving disadvantaged communities and envi14 ronmental justice communities. 

15 ‘‘(4) AMERICAN MADE IRON AND STEEL AND

16 PREVAILING WAGES.—The requirements of para17 graphs (4) and (5) of subsection (a) shall apply to 

18 any project carried out in whole or in part with 

19 funds made available under this subsection. 

20 ‘‘(5) LIMITATION.— 

21 ‘‘(A) PROHIBITION ON PARTIAL LINE RE22 PLACEMENT.—None of the funds made avail23 able under this subsection may be used for par24 tial lead service line replacement if, at the con25 clusion of the service line replacement, drinking 


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1 water is delivered through a publicly or pri2 vately owned portion of a lead service line. 

3 ‘‘(B) NO PRIVATE OWNER CONTRIBU4 TION.—Any recipient of funds made available 

5 under this subsection shall offer to replace any 

6 privately owned portion of the lead service line 

7 at no cost to the private owner. 

8 ‘‘(6) STATE CONTRIBUTION.—Notwithstanding 

9 subsection (e), agreements under paragraph (1) shall 

10 not require that the State deposit in the State loan 

11 fund from State moneys any contribution before re12 ceiving funds pursuant to this subsection. 

13 ‘‘(7) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.— 

14 ‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—There are authorized 

15 to be appropriated to carry out this subsection 

16 $4,500,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2022 

17 through 2031. Such sums shall remain available 

18 until expended. 

19 ‘‘(B) ADDITIONAL AMOUNTS.—To the ex20 tent amounts authorized to be appropriated 

21 under this subsection in any fiscal year are not 

22 appropriated in that fiscal year, such amounts 

23 are authorized to be appropriated in a subse24 quent fiscal year. Such sums shall remain avail25 able until expended. 


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1 ‘‘(8) DEFINITIONS.—For purposes of this sub2 section: 

3 ‘‘(A) DISADVANTAGED COMMUNITY.—The 

4 term ‘disadvantaged community’ has the mean5 ing given such term in subsection (d)(3). 

6 ‘‘(B) ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE COMMU7 NITY.—The term ‘environmental justice com8 munity’ means any population of color, commu9 nity of color, indigenous community, or low-in10 come community that experiences a dispropor11 tionate burden of the negative human health 

12 and environmental impacts of pollution or other 

13 environmental hazards. 

14 ‘‘(C) LEAD SERVICE LINE.—The term 

15 ‘lead service line’ means a pipe and its fittings, 

16 which are not lead free (as defined in section 

17 1417(d)), that connect the drinking water main 

18 to the building inlet.’’. 

19 (b) CONFORMING AMENDMENT.—Section 

20 1452(m)(1) of the Safe Drinking Water Act (42 U.S.C. 

21 300j–12(m)(1)) is amended by striking ‘‘(a)(2)(G) and 

22 (t)’’ and inserting ‘‘(a)(2)(G), (t), and (u)’’. 


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1 SEC. 107. PFAS TREATMENT GRANTS. 

2 Part E of the Safe Drinking Water Act (42 U.S.C. 

3 300j et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the fol4 lowing new section: 

5 ‘‘SEC. 1459E. ASSISTANCE FOR COMMUNITY WATER SYS6 TEMS AFFECTED BY PFAS. 

7 ‘‘(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—Not later than 180 days 

8 after the date of enactment of this section, the Adminis9 trator shall establish a program to award grants to af10 fected community water systems to pay for capital costs 

11 associated with the implementation of eligible treatment 

12 technologies. 

13 ‘‘(b) APPLICATIONS.— 

14 ‘‘(1) GUIDANCE.—Not later than 12 months 

15 after the date of enactment of this section, the Ad16 ministrator shall publish guidance describing the 

17 form and timing for community water systems to 

18 apply for grants under this section. 

19 ‘‘(2) REQUIRED INFORMATION.—The Adminis20 trator shall require a community water system ap21 plying for a grant under this section to submit— 

22 ‘‘(A) information showing the presence of a 

23 perfluoroalkyl or polyfluoroalkyl substance in 

24 water of the community water system; and 

25 ‘‘(B) a certification that the treatment 

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1 tem at the time of application is not sufficient 

2 to remove all detectable amounts of 

3 perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances. 

4 ‘‘(c) LIST OF ELIGIBLE TREATMENT TECH5 NOLOGIES.—Not later than 150 days after the date of en6 actment of this section, and every 2 years thereafter, the 

7 Administrator shall publish a list of treatment tech8 nologies that the Administrator determines are effective 

9 at removing all detectable amounts of perfluoroalkyl and 

10 polyfluoroalkyl substances from drinking water. 

11 ‘‘(d) PRIORITY FOR FUNDING.—In awarding grants 

12 under this section, the Administrator shall prioritize af13 fected community water systems that— 

14 ‘‘(1) serve a disadvantaged community; 

15 ‘‘(2) will provide at least a 10-percent cost 

16 share for the cost of implementing an eligible treat17 ment technology; or 

18 ‘‘(3) demonstrate the capacity to maintain the 

19 eligible treatment technology to be implemented 

20 using the grant. 

21 ‘‘(e) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.— 

22 ‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—There is authorized to be 

23 appropriated to carry out this section not more than 

24 $500,000,000 for each of the fiscal years 2022 

25 through 2031. 


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1 ‘‘(2) SPECIAL RULE.—Of the amounts author2 ized to be appropriated by paragraph (1), 

3 $25,000,000 are authorized to be appropriated for 

4 each of fiscal years 2022 and 2023 for grants under 

5 subsection (a) to pay for capital costs associated 

6 with the implementation of eligible treatment tech7 nologies during the period beginning on October 1, 

8 2014, and ending on the date of enactment of this 

9 section. 

10 ‘‘(f) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 

11 ‘‘(1) AFFECTED COMMUNITY WATER SYSTEM.— 

12 The term ‘affected community water system’ means 

13 a community water system that is affected by the 

14 presence of a perfluoroalkyl or polyfluoroalkyl sub15 stance in the water in the community water system. 

16 ‘‘(2) DISADVANTAGED COMMUNITY.—The term 

17 ‘disadvantaged community’ has the meaning given 

18 that term in section 1452. 

19 ‘‘(3) ELIGIBLE TREATMENT TECHNOLOGY.— 

20 The term ‘eligible treatment technology’ means a 

21 treatment technology included on the list published 

22 under subsection (c).’’. 


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1 SEC. 108. VOLUNTARY SCHOOL AND CHILD CARE PROGRAM 

2 LEAD TESTING GRANT PROGRAM. 

3 Section 1464(d)(8) of the Safe Drinking Water Act 

4 (42 U.S.C. 300j–24(d)(8)) is amended by striking ‘‘and 

5 2021’’ and inserting ‘‘through 2031’’. 

6 SEC. 109. DRINKING WATER FOUNTAIN REPLACEMENT FOR 

7 SCHOOLS. 

8 Section 1465(d) of the Safe Drinking Water Act (42 

9 U.S.C. 300j–25(d)) is amended by striking ‘‘2021’’ and 

10 inserting ‘‘2031’’. 

11 SEC. 110. INDIAN RESERVATION DRINKING WATER PRO12 GRAM. 

13 Section 2001(d) of America’s Water Infrastructure 

14 Act of 2018 (Public Law 115–270) is amended by striking 

15 ‘‘2022’’ and inserting ‘‘2031’’. 

16 SEC. 111. ASSISTANCE FOR AREAS AFFECTED BY NATURAL 

17 DISASTERS. 

18 Section 2020 of America’s Water Infrastructure Act 

19 of 2018 (Public Law 115–270) is amended— 

20 (1) in subsection (b)(1), by striking ‘‘subsection 

21 (e)(1)’’ and inserting ‘‘subsection (f)(1)’’; 

22 (2) by redesignating subsections (c) through (e) 

23 as subsections (d) through (f), respectively; 

24 (3) by inserting after subsection (b) the fol25 lowing: 


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1 ‘‘(c) ASSISTANCE FOR TERRITORIES.—The Adminis2 trator may use funds made available under subsection 

3 (f)(1) to make grants to Guam, the Virgin Islands, Amer4 ican Samoa, and the Northern Mariana Islands for the 

5 purposes of providing assistance to eligible systems to re6 store or increase compliance with national primary drink7 ing water regulations.’’; and 

8 (4) in subsection (f), as so redesignated— 

9 (A) in the heading, by striking ‘‘STATE

10 REVOLVING FUND CAPITALIZATION’’; and 

11 (B) in paragraph (1)— 

12 (i) in the matter preceding subpara13 graph (A), by inserting ‘‘and to make 

14 grants under subsection (c) of this sec15 tion,’’ before ‘‘to be available’’; and 

16 (ii) in subparagraph (A), by inserting 

17 ‘‘or subsection (c), as applicable’’ after 

18 ‘‘subsection (b)(1)’’. 

19 TITLE II—SAFETY 

20 SEC. 201. ENABLING EPA TO SET STANDARDS FOR NEW 

21 DRINKING WATER CONTAMINANTS. 

22 Section 1412(b)(6) of the Safe Drinking Water Act 

23 (42 U.S.C. 300g–1(b)(6)) is repealed. 


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1 SEC. 202. NATIONAL PRIMARY DRINKING WATER REGULA2 TIONS FOR PFAS. 

3 Section 1412(b) of the Safe Drinking Water Act (42 

4 U.S.C. 300g–1(b)) is amended by adding at the end the 

5 following: 

6 ‘‘(16) PERFLUOROALKYL AND

7 POLYFLUOROALKYL SUBSTANCES.— 

8 ‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 2 years 

9 after the date of enactment of this paragraph, 

10 the Administrator shall, after notice and oppor11 tunity for public comment, promulgate a na12 tional primary drinking water regulation for 

13 perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, 

14 which shall, at a minimum, include standards 

15 for— 

16 ‘‘(i) perfluorooctanoic acid (commonly 

17 referred to as ‘PFOA’); and 

18 ‘‘(ii) perfluorooctane sulfonic acid 

19 (commonly referred to as ‘PFOS’). 

20 ‘‘(B) ALTERNATIVE PROCEDURES.— 

21 ‘‘(i) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 1 

22 year after the validation by the Adminis23 trator of an equally effective quality con24 trol and testing procedure to ensure com25 pliance with the national primary drinking 

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1 paragraph (A) to measure the levels de2 scribed in clause (ii) or other methods to 

3 detect and monitor perfluoroalkyl and 

4 polyfluoroalkyl substances in drinking 

5 water, the Administrator shall add the pro6 cedure or method as an alternative to the 

7 quality control and testing procedure de8 scribed in such national primary drinking 

9 water regulation by publishing the proce10 dure or method in the Federal Register in 

11 accordance with section 1401(1)(D). 

12 ‘‘(ii) LEVELS DESCRIBED.—The levels 

13 referred to in clause (i) are— 

14 ‘‘(I) the level of a perfluoroalkyl 

15 or polyfluoroalkyl substance; 

16 ‘‘(II) the total levels of 

17 perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl sub18 stances; and 

19 ‘‘(III) the total levels of organic 

20 fluorine. 

21 ‘‘(C) INCLUSIONS.—The Administrator 

22 may include a perfluoroalkyl or polyfluoroalkyl 

23 substance or class of perfluoroalkyl or 

24 polyfluoroalkyl substances on— 


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1 ‘‘(i) the list of contaminants for con2 sideration of regulation under paragraph 

3 (1)(B)(i), in accordance with such para4 graph; and 

5 ‘‘(ii) the list of unregulated contami6 nants to be monitored under section 

7 1445(a)(2)(B)(i), in accordance with such 

8 section. 

9 ‘‘(D) MONITORING.—When establishing 

10 monitoring requirements for public water sys11 tems as part of a national primary drinking 

12 water regulation under subparagraph (A) or 

13 subparagraph (G)(ii), the Administrator shall 

14 tailor the monitoring requirements for public 

15 water systems that do not detect or are reliably 

16 and consistently below the maximum contami17 nant level (as defined in section 1418(b)(2)(B)) 

18 for the perfluoroalkyl or polyfluoroalkyl sub19 stance or class of perfluoroalkyl or 

20 polyfluoroalkyl substances subject to the na21 tional primary drinking water regulation. 

22 ‘‘(E) HEALTH PROTECTION.—The national 

23 primary drinking water regulation promulgated 

24 under subparagraph (A) shall be protective of 


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1 the health of subpopulations at greater risk, as 

2 described in section 1458. 

3 ‘‘(F) HEALTH RISK REDUCTION AND COST

4 ANALYSIS.—In meeting the requirements of 

5 paragraph (3)(C), the Administrator may rely 

6 on information available to the Administrator 

7 with respect to one or more specific 

8 perfluoroalkyl or polyfluoroalkyl substances to 

9 extrapolate reasoned conclusions regarding the 

10 health risks and effects of a class of 

11 perfluoroalkyl or polyfluoroalkyl substances of 

12 which the specific perfluoroalkyl or 

13 polyfluoroalkyl substances are a part. 

14 ‘‘(G) REGULATION OF ADDITIONAL SUB15 STANCES.— 

16 ‘‘(i) DETERMINATION.—The Adminis17 trator shall make a determination under 

18 paragraph (1)(A), using the criteria de19 scribed in clauses (i) through (iii) of that 

20 paragraph, whether to include a 

21 perfluoroalkyl or polyfluoroalkyl substance 

22 or class of perfluoroalkyl or polyfluoroalkyl 

23 substances in the national primary drink24 ing water regulation under subparagraph 


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1 (A) not later than 18 months after the 

2 later of— 

3 ‘‘(I) the date on which the 

4 perfluoroalkyl or polyfluoroalkyl sub5 stance or class of perfluoroalkyl or 

6 polyfluoroalkyl substances is listed on 

7 the list of contaminants for consider8 ation of regulation under paragraph 

9 (1)(B)(i); and 

10 ‘‘(II) the date on which— 

11 ‘‘(aa) the Administrator has 

12 received the results of monitoring 

13 under section 1445(a)(2)(B) for 

14 the perfluoroalkyl or 

15 polyfluoroalkyl substance or class 

16 of perfluoroalkyl or 

17 polyfluoroalkyl substances; or 

18 ‘‘(bb) the Administrator has 

19 received reliable water data or 

20 water monitoring surveys for the 

21 perfluoroalkyl or polyfluoroalkyl 

22 substance or class of 

23 perfluoroalkyl or polyfluoroalkyl 

24 substances from a Federal or 

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1 trator determines to be of a qual2 ity sufficient to make a deter3 mination under paragraph 

4 (1)(A). 

5 ‘‘(ii) PRIMARY DRINKING WATER REG6 ULATIONS.— 

7 ‘‘(I) IN GENERAL.—For each 

8 perfluoroalkyl or polyfluoroalkyl sub9 stance or class of perfluoroalkyl or 

10 polyfluoroalkyl substances that the 

11 Administrator determines to regulate 

12 under clause (i), the Administrator— 

13 ‘‘(aa) not later than 18 

14 months after the date on which 

15 the Administrator makes the de16 termination, shall propose a na17 tional primary drinking water 

18 regulation for the perfluoroalkyl 

19 or polyfluoroalkyl substance or 

20 class of perfluoroalkyl or 

21 polyfluoroalkyl substances; and 

22 ‘‘(bb) may publish the pro23 posed national primary drinking 

24 water regulation described in 

25 item (aa) concurrently with the 


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1 publication of the determination 

2 to regulate the perfluoroalkyl or 

3 polyfluoroalkyl substance or class 

4 of perfluoroalkyl or 

5 polyfluoroalkyl substances. 

6 ‘‘(II) DEADLINE.— 

7 ‘‘(aa) IN GENERAL.—Not 

8 later than 1 year after the date 

9 on which the Administrator pub10 lishes a proposed national pri11 mary drinking water regulation 

12 under clause (i)(I) and subject to 

13 item (bb), the Administrator 

14 shall take final action on the pro15 posed national primary drinking 

16 water regulation. 

17 ‘‘(bb) EXTENSION.—The 

18 Administrator, on publication of 

19 notice in the Federal Register, 

20 may extend the deadline under 

21 item (aa) by not more than 6 

22 months. 

23 ‘‘(H) HEALTH ADVISORY.— 

24 ‘‘(i) IN GENERAL.—Subject to clause 

25 (ii), the Administrator shall publish a 


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1 health advisory under paragraph (1)(F) for 

2 a perfluoroalkyl or polyfluoroalkyl sub3 stance or class of perfluoroalkyl or 

4 polyfluoroalkyl substances not subject to a 

5 national primary drinking water regulation 

6 not later than 1 year after the later of— 

7 ‘‘(I) the date on which the Ad8 ministrator finalizes a toxicity value 

9 for the perfluoroalkyl or 

10 polyfluoroalkyl substance or class of 

11 perfluoroalkyl or polyfluoroalkyl sub12 stances; and 

13 ‘‘(II) the date on which the Ad14 ministrator validates an effective qual15 ity control and testing procedure for 

16 the perfluoroalkyl or polyfluoroalkyl 

17 substance or class of perfluoroalkyl or 

18 polyfluoroalkyl substances. 

19 ‘‘(ii) WAIVER.—The Administrator 

20 may waive the requirements of clause (i) 

21 with respect to a perfluoroalkyl or 

22 polyfluoroalkyl substance or class of 

23 perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl sub24 stances if the Administrator determines 

25 that there is a substantial likelihood that 


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1 the perfluoroalkyl or polyfluoroalkyl sub2 stance or class of perfluoroalkyl or 

3 polyfluoroalkyl substances will not occur in 

4 drinking water with sufficient frequency to 

5 justify the publication of a health advisory, 

6 and publishes such determination, includ7 ing the information and analysis used, and 

8 basis for, such determination, in the Fed9 eral Register.’’. 

10 SEC. 203. NATIONAL PRIMARY DRINKING WATER REGULA11 TIONS FOR MICROCYSTIN TOXIN. 

12 Section 1412(b) of the Safe Drinking Water Act (42 

13 U.S.C. 300g–1(b)) is further amended by adding at the 

14 end the following: 

15 ‘‘(17) MICROCYSTIN TOXIN.— 

16 ‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—Notwithstanding any 

17 other deadline established in this subsection, 

18 not later than 2 years after the date of enact19 ment of the Assistance, Quality, and Afford20 ability Act of 2021, the Administrator shall 

21 publish a maximum contaminant level goal and 

22 promulgate a national primary drinking water 

23 regulation for microcystin toxin. 

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1 mary drinking water regulation promulgated 

2 under subparagraph (A) shall be protective of 

3 the health of subpopulations at greater risk, as 

4 described in section 1458.’’. 

5 SEC. 204. NATIONAL PRIMARY DRINKING WATER REGULA6 TIONS FOR 1,4–DIOXANE. 

7 Section 1412(b) of the Safe Drinking Water Act (42 

8 U.S.C. 300g–1(b)) is further amended by adding at the 

9 end the following: 

10 ‘‘(18) 1,4–DIOXANE.— 

11 ‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—Notwithstanding any 

12 other deadline established in this subsection, 

13 not later than 2 years after the date of enact14 ment of the Assistance, Quality, and Afford15 ability Act of 2021, the Administrator shall 

16 publish a maximum contaminant level goal and 

17 promulgate a national primary drinking water 

18 regulation for 1,4–dioxane. 

19 ‘‘(B) HEALTH PROTECTION.—The max20 imum contaminant level goal and national pri21 mary drinking water regulation promulgated 

22 under subparagraph (A) shall be protective of 

23 the health of subpopulations at greater risk, as 

24 described in section 1458.’’. 


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1 SEC. 205. ELIMINATION OF SMALL SYSTEM VARIANCES. 

2 (a) SMALL SYSTEM VARIANCES.—Section 1415 (42 

3 U.S.C. 300g–4) of the Safe Drinking Water Act is amend4 ed by striking subsection (e). 

5 (b) CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.— 

6 (1) Section 1414(c)(1)(B) of the Safe Drinking 

7 Water Act (42 U.S.C. 300g–3(c)(1)(B)) is amended 

8 by striking ‘‘, (a)(2), or (e)’’ and inserting ‘‘or 

9 (a)(2)’’. 

10 (2) Section 1416(b)(2) of the Safe Drinking 

11 Water Act (42 U.S.C. 300g–5(b)(2)) is amended by 

12 striking subparagraph (D). 

13 (3) Section 1445(h) of the Safe Drinking Water 

14 Act (42 U.S.C. 300j–4(h)) is amended— 

15 (A) by striking ‘‘sections 1412(b)(4)(E) 

16 and 1415(e) (relating to small system variance 

17 program)’’ and inserting ‘‘section 

18 1412(b)(4)(E)’’; and 

19 (B) by striking ‘‘guidance under sections 

20 1412(b)(4)(E) and 1415(e)’’ and inserting 

21 ‘‘guidance under section 1412(b)(4)(E)’’. 

22 TITLE III—AFFORDABILITY 

23 SEC. 301. EMERGENCY RELIEF PROGRAM. 

24 Part F of the Safe Drinking Water Act (42 U.S.C. 

25 300j–21 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the fol26 lowing new section: 


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1 ‘‘SEC. 1466. EMERGENCY RELIEF PROGRAM. 

2 ‘‘(a) EMERGENCY RELIEF PROGRAM.—The Adminis3 trator shall establish and carry out a residential emer4 gency relief program to provide payments to public water 

5 systems to reimburse such public water systems for pro6 viding forgiveness of arrearages and fees incurred by eligi7 ble residential customers before the date of enactment of 

8 this section to help such eligible residential customers re9 tain water service. 

10 ‘‘(b) CONDITIONS.—To receive funds under this sec11 tion, a public water system shall agree to— 

12 ‘‘(1) except as provided in paragraph (2), use 

13 such funds to forgive all arrearages and fees relating 

14 to nonpayment or arrearages incurred by eligible 

15 residential customers before the date of enactment 

16 of this section; 

17 ‘‘(2) if forgiveness of all arrearages and fees de18 scribed in paragraph (1) is not possible given the 

19 amount of funds received, use such funds to reduce 

20 such arrearages and fees for each eligible residential 

21 customer by, to the extent practicable, a consistent 

22 percentage; 

23 ‘‘(3) take no action that negatively affects the 

24 credit score of an eligible residential customer, or 

25 pursue any type of collection action against such eli26 gible residential customer, during the 5-year period 


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1 that begins on the date on which the public water 

2 system receives such funds; and 

3 ‘‘(4) not disconnect or interrupt the service of 

4 any eligible residential customer as a result of non5 payment or arrearages during such 5-year period. 

6 ‘‘(c) ELIGIBLE CUSTOMERS.—To be eligible for for7 giveness or reduction of arrearages and fees pursuant to 

8 the program established under subsection (a), a residential 

9 customer of a public water system shall have accrued new 

10 arrearages on or after March 1, 2020. 

11 ‘‘(d) ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENSES.—The Adminis12 trator may authorize— 

13 ‘‘(1) States to implement the program estab14 lished under subsection (a); and 

15 ‘‘(2) a State implementing such program to use 

16 up to 4 percent of funds made available to carry out 

17 such program in such State for administrative ex18 penses. 

19 ‘‘(e) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There 

20 is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section 

21 $4,000,000,000, to remain available until expended.’’. 

Æ 


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