Section 112-State Primacy. Also requires states to adopt emergency plans for drinking water in case of earthquakes, floods, hurricanes, etc. Streamlines EPA administrative enforcement, increases civil penalties, clarifies enforceability of lead ban and other previously ambiguous requirements, allows enforcement to be suuspended in some cases to encourage system consolidation or restructuring, requires states to have administrative penalty authority, and clarifies provisions for judicial review of final EPA actions. Governors can waive the requirement to mail these reports for systems serving under 10,000 people, but systems must still publish the report in the paper. Systems serving 500 or fewer people need only prepare the report and tell their customers it's available.
States can alter the content and form of the reporting requirements.
States and EPA must prepare annual reports summarizing violations. Not allowed for microbiological contaminants or contaminants regulated before 1986. Customers must be notified in advance of application for variance, and they can object and petition EPA to veto the variance. Clarifies illegality of sale of lead-containing plumbing, but faucets provision allowing EPA to issue standards is now outdated in light of recent voluntary standard and the settlement of litigation California. Authorizes funding for existing groundwater protection programs.