Title: Clean Water Infrastructure Act
Policy area: Environmental Protection

Summary:
Clean Water Infrastructure Act
This bill amends the Safe Drinking Water Act to reauthorize through FY2022 and revise the drinking water state revolving fund (SRF), including to require SRF-funded projects to use iron and steel produced in the United States.
The bill revises requirements for state Intended Use Plans for SRF funds, including to require the plans to: (1) list systems that are not in compliance with national primary drinking water regulation, (2) reserve a specified amount of funding for assistance for disadvantaged communities, and (3) prioritize SRF funding by those communities.
The bill repeals: (1) requirements for regulations on variance technologies, and (2) state authority to exempt small public water systems from national primary drinking water regulations if the system installs certain treatment techniques.
The Environmental Protection Agency must:
Finally, the bill reauthorizes through FY2023 a grant program for certain lead reduction projects.

[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 6818 Introduced in House (IH)]

<DOC>






115th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 6818

To amend the Safe Drinking Water Act to increase assistance for States, 
    water systems, and disadvantaged communities; to encourage good 
    financial and environmental management of water systems; and to 
strengthen the Environmental Protection Agency's ability to enforce the 
            requirements of the Act, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           September 13, 2018

 Mr. McEachin introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
                    Committee on Energy and Commerce

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To amend the Safe Drinking Water Act to increase assistance for States, 
    water systems, and disadvantaged communities; to encourage good 
    financial and environmental management of water systems; and to 
strengthen the Environmental Protection Agency's ability to enforce the 
            requirements of the Act, and for other purposes.

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

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS.

    (a) Short Title.--This Act may be cited as the ``Clean Water 
Infrastructure Act''.
    (b) Table of Contents.--The table of contents of this Act is as 
follows:

Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.
Sec. 2. Prevailing wages.
Sec. 3. Use of funds.
Sec. 4. Requirements for use of American materials.
Sec. 5. Data on variances, exemptions, and persistent violations.
Sec. 6. Assistance for restructuring.
Sec. 7. Priority and weight of applications.
Sec. 8. Disadvantaged communities.
Sec. 9. Administration of State loan funds.
Sec. 10. State revolving loan funds for American Samoa, Northern 
                            Mariana Islands, Guam, and the Virgin 
                            Islands.
Sec. 11. Authorization of appropriations.
Sec. 12. Affordability of new standards.
Sec. 13. Focus on lifecycle costs.
Sec. 14. Streamlining reporting and enforcement.
Sec. 15. Presence of pharmaceuticals and personal care products in 
                            sources of drinking water.
Sec. 16. Best practices for administration of State revolving loan fund 
                            programs.
Sec. 17. Water loss and leak control technology.
Sec. 18. Risks of drought to drinking water.
Sec. 19. Reducing lead in drinking water.
Sec. 20. Sense of Congress.

SEC. 2. PREVAILING WAGES.

    Subsection (e) of section 1450 of the Safe Drinking Water Act (42 
U.S.C. 300j-9) is amended to read as follows:
    ``(e) Labor Standards.--
            ``(1) In general.--The Administrator shall take such action 
        as the Administrator determines to be necessary to ensure that 
        each laborer and mechanic employed by a contractor or 
        subcontractor in connection with a construction project 
        financed, in whole or in part, by a grant, loan, loan 
        guarantee, refinancing, or any other form of financial 
        assistance provided under this title (including assistance 
        provided by a State loan fund established under section 1452) 
        is paid wages at a rate of not less than the prevailing wages 
        for the same type of work on similar construction in the 
        immediate locality, as determined by the Secretary of Labor in 
        accordance with subchapter IV of chapter 31 of title 40, United 
        States Code.
            ``(2) Authority of secretary of labor.--With respect to the 
        labor standards specified in this subsection, the Secretary of 
        Labor shall have the authority and functions established in 
        Reorganization Plan Numbered 14 of 1950 (5 U.S.C. App.) and 
        section 3145 of title 40, United States Code.''.

SEC. 3. USE OF FUNDS.

    Section 1452(a)(2)(B) of the Safe Drinking Water Act (42 U.S.C. 
300j-12(a)(2)(B)) is amended by striking ``(including expenditures for 
planning, design, and associated preconstruction activities, including 
activities relating to the siting of the facility, but not'' and 
inserting ``(including expenditures for planning, design, siting, and 
associated preconstruction activities, for replacing or rehabilitating 
aging treatment, storage, or distribution facilities of public water 
systems, or for producing or capturing sustainable energy on site or 
through the transportation of water through the public water system, 
but not''.

SEC. 4. REQUIREMENTS FOR USE OF AMERICAN MATERIALS.

    Section 1452(a)(4) of the Safe Drinking Water Act (42 U.S.C. 300j-
12(a)(4)) is amended--
            (1) in subparagraph (A), by striking ``During fiscal year 
        2017, funds'' and inserting ``Funds''; and
            (2) by striking subparagraph (G).

SEC. 5. DATA ON VARIANCES, EXEMPTIONS, AND PERSISTENT VIOLATIONS.

    Section 1452(b)(2) of the Safe Drinking Water Act (42 U.S.C. 300j-
12(b)(2)) is amended--
            (1) in subparagraph (B), by striking ``and'' at the end;
            (2) in subparagraph (C), by striking the period at the end 
        and inserting ``; and''; and
            (3) by adding at the end the following:
                    ``(D) a list of all public water systems within the 
                State that have in effect an exemption or variance for 
                any national primary drinking water regulation or that 
                are in persistent violation of the requirements for any 
                maximum contaminant level or treatment technique under 
                a national primary drinking water regulation, including 
                identification of--
                            ``(i) the national primary drinking water 
                        regulation in question for each such exemption, 
                        variance, or violation; and
                            ``(ii) the date on which the exemption or 
                        variance came into effect or the violation 
                        began.''.

SEC. 6. ASSISTANCE FOR RESTRUCTURING.

    (a) Definition.--Section 1401 of the Safe Drinking Water Act (42 
U.S.C. 300f) is amended by adding at the end the following:
            ``(17) Restructuring.--The term `restructuring' means 
        changes in operations (including ownership, management, 
        cooperative partnerships, joint purchasing arrangements, 
        consolidation, and alternative water supply).''.
    (b) Restructuring.--Clause (ii) of section 1452(a)(3)(B) (42 U.S.C. 
300j-12(a)(3)(B)) is amended by striking ``changes in operations 
(including ownership, management, accounting, rates, maintenance, 
consolidation, alternative water supply, or other procedures)'' and 
inserting ``restructuring''.

SEC. 7. PRIORITY AND WEIGHT OF APPLICATIONS.

    (a) Priority.--Section 1452(b)(3) of the Safe Drinking Water Act 
(42 U.S.C. 300j-12(b)(3)) is amended--
            (1) in subparagraph (A)--
                    (A) in clause (ii), by striking ``and'' at the end;
                    (B) in clause (iii), by striking the period at the 
                end and inserting ``; and''; and
                    (C) by adding at the end the following:
                            ``(iv) improve the ability of public water 
                        systems to protect human health and comply with 
                        the requirements of this title affordably in 
                        the future.'';
            (2) by redesignating subparagraph (B) as subparagraph (D);
            (3) by inserting after subparagraph (A) the following:
                    ``(B) Affordability of new standards.--For any year 
                in which enforcement begins for a new national primary 
                drinking water regulation, each State that has entered 
                into a capitalization agreement pursuant to this 
                section shall evaluate whether capital improvements 
                required to meet the standard are affordable for 
                disadvantaged communities (as defined in subsection 
                (d)(3)) in the State. If the State finds that such 
                capital improvements do not meet affordability criteria 
                for disadvantaged communities in the State, the State's 
                intended use plan shall provide that priority for the 
                use of funds for such year be given to public water 
                systems affected by the standard and serving 
                disadvantaged communities.
                    ``(C) Weight given to applications.--After 
                determining priority under subparagraphs (A) and (B), 
                an intended use plan shall provide that the State will 
                give greater weight to an application for assistance if 
                the application contains--
                            ``(i) a description of measures undertaken 
                        by the public water system to improve the 
                        management and financial stability of the 
                        public water system, which may include--
                                    ``(I) an inventory of assets, 
                                including a description of the 
                                condition of the assets;
                                    ``(II) a schedule for replacement 
                                of assets;
                                    ``(III) an audit of water losses;
                                    ``(IV) a financing plan that 
                                factors in all lifecycle costs 
                                indicating sources of revenue from 
                                ratepayers, grants, bonds, other loans, 
                                and other sources to meet the costs; 
                                and
                                    ``(V) a review of options for 
                                restructuring;
                            ``(ii) a demonstration of consistency with 
                        State, regional, and municipal watershed plans;
                            ``(iii) a water conservation plan 
                        consistent with guidelines developed for such 
                        plans by the Administrator under section 
                        1455(a); and
                            ``(iv) a description of measures undertaken 
                        by the public water system to improve the 
                        efficiency of the public water system or reduce 
                        the public water system's environmental impact, 
                        which may include--
                                    ``(I) water efficiency or 
                                conservation, including the 
                                rehabilitation or replacement of 
                                existing leaking pipes;
                                    ``(II) use of reclaimed water;
                                    ``(III) actions to increase energy 
                                efficiency;
                                    ``(IV) actions to generate or 
                                capture sustainable energy on site or 
                                through the transportation of water 
                                through the public water system;
                                    ``(V) actions to protect source 
                                water;
                                    ``(VI) actions to mitigate or 
                                prevent corrosion, including design, 
                                selection of materials, selection of 
                                coating, and cathodic protection; and
                                    ``(VII) actions to reduce 
                                disinfection byproducts.''; and
            (4) in subparagraph (D) (as redesignated by paragraph (2)) 
        by striking ``periodically'' and inserting ``at least 
        biennially''.
    (b) Guidance.--Section 1452 of the Safe Drinking Water Act (42 
U.S.C. 300j-12) is amended--
            (1) by redesignating subsection (r) as subsection (t); and
            (2) by inserting after subsection (q) the following:
    ``(r) Small System Guidance.--The Administrator may provide 
guidance and, as appropriate, tools, methodologies, or computer 
software, to assist small public water systems in undertaking measures 
to improve the management, financial stability, and efficiency of the 
public water system or reduce the public water system's environmental 
impact.''.

SEC. 8. DISADVANTAGED COMMUNITIES.

    (a) Assistance To Increase Compliance.--Section 1452(b)(3) of the 
Safe Drinking Water Act (42 U.S.C. 300j-12(b)(3)), as amended, is 
further amended by adding at the end the following:
                    ``(E) Assistance to increase compliance.--A State's 
                intended use plan shall provide that, of the funds 
                received by the State through a capitalization grant 
                under this section for a fiscal year, the State will, 
                to the extent that there are sufficient eligible 
                project applications, reserve not less than 6 percent 
                to be spent on assistance under subsection (d) to 
                public water systems included in the State's most 
                recent list under paragraph (2)(D).''.
    (b) Assistance for Disadvantaged Communities.--Section 1452(d) of 
the Safe Drinking Water Act (42 U.S.C. 300j-12(d)) is amended--
            (1) in paragraph (1), by adding at the end the following: 
        ``Such additional subsidization shall directly and primarily 
        benefit such community.''; and
            (2) in paragraph (3), by inserting ``, or portion of a 
        service area,'' after ``service area''.
    (c) Affordability Criteria.--Section 1452(d)(3) of the Safe 
Drinking Water Act (42 U.S.C. 300j-12(d)(3)) is amended by adding at 
the end: ``Each State that has entered into a capitalization agreement 
pursuant to this section shall, in establishing affordability criteria, 
consider, solicit public comment on, and include as appropriate--
                    ``(A) the methods or criteria that the State will 
                use to identify disadvantaged communities;
                    ``(B) a description of the institutional, 
                regulatory, financial, tax, or legal factors at the 
                Federal, State, or local level that affect identified 
                affordability criteria; and
                    ``(C) a description of how the State will use the 
                authorities and resources under this subsection to 
                assist communities meeting the identified criteria.''.

SEC. 9. ADMINISTRATION OF STATE LOAN FUNDS.

    Section 1452(g) of the Safe Drinking Water Act (42 U.S.C. 300j-
12(g)) is amended by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
            ``(5) Transfer of funds.--
                    ``(A) In general.--The Governor of a State may--
                            ``(i) reserve for any fiscal year not more 
                        than the lesser of--
                                    ``(I) 33 percent of a 
                                capitalization grant made under this 
                                section; or
                                    ``(II) 33 percent of a 
                                capitalization grant made under section 
                                601 of the Federal Water Pollution 
                                Control Act; and
                            ``(ii) add the funds so reserved to any 
                        funds provided to the State under this section 
                        or section 601 of the Federal Water Pollution 
                        Control Act.
                    ``(B) State matching funds.--Funds reserved under 
                this paragraph shall not be considered for purposes of 
                calculating the amount of a State contribution required 
                by subsection (e) of this section or section 602(b) of 
                the Federal Water Pollution Control Act.''.

SEC. 10. STATE REVOLVING LOAN FUNDS FOR AMERICAN SAMOA, NORTHERN 
              MARIANA ISLANDS, GUAM, AND THE VIRGIN ISLANDS.

    Section 1452(j) of the Safe Drinking Water Act (42 U.S.C. 300j-
12(j)) is amended by striking ``0.33 percent'' and inserting ``1.5 
percent''.

SEC. 11. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    Subsection (m) of section 1452 of the Safe Drinking Water Act (42 
U.S.C. 300j-12) is amended to read as follows:
    ``(m) Authorization of Appropriations.--
            ``(1) In general.--There are authorized to be appropriated 
        to carry out this section--
                    ``(A) $3,600,000,000 for fiscal year 2019;
                    ``(B) $4,140,000,000 for fiscal year 2020;
                    ``(C) $4,800,000,000 for fiscal year 2021; and
                    ``(D) $5,500,000,000 for fiscal year 2022.
            ``(2) Availability.--Amounts made available pursuant to 
        this subsection shall remain available until expended.
            ``(3) Reservation for needs surveys.--Of the amount made 
        available under paragraph (1) to carry out this section for a 
        fiscal year, the Administrator may reserve not more than 
        $1,000,000 per year to pay the costs of conducting needs 
        surveys under subsection (h).''.

SEC. 12. AFFORDABILITY OF NEW STANDARDS.

    (a) Treatment Technologies for Small Public Water Systems.--Clause 
(ii) of section 1412(b)(4)(E) of the Safe Drinking Water Act (42 U.S.C. 
300g-1(b)(4)(E)) is amended by adding at the end the following: ``If no 
technology, treatment technique, or other means is included in a list 
under this subparagraph for a category of small public water systems, 
the Administrator shall periodically review the list and supplement it 
when new technology becomes available.''.
    (b) Assistance for Disadvantaged Communities.--
            (1) In general.--Subparagraph (E) of section 1452(a)(1) of 
        the Safe Drinking Water Act (42 U.S.C. 300j-12(a)(1)) is 
        amended--
                    (A) by striking ``except that the Administrator may 
                reserve'' and inserting ``except that--
                            ``(i) in any year in which enforcement of a 
                        new national primary drinking water regulation 
                        begins, the Administrator may use the remaining 
                        amount to make grants to States whose public 
                        water systems are disproportionately affected 
                        by the new regulation for the provision of 
                        assistance under subsection (d) to such public 
                        water systems;
                            ``(ii) the Administrator may reserve''; and
                    (B) by striking ``and none of the funds 
                reallotted'' and inserting ``; and
                            ``(iii) none of the funds reallotted''.
            (2) Elimination of certain provisions.--
                    (A) Section 1412(b) of the Safe Drinking Water Act 
                (42 U.S.C. 300g-1(b)) is amended by striking paragraph 
                (15).
                    (B) Section 1415 of the Safe Drinking Water Act (42 
                U.S.C. 300g-4) is amended by striking subsection (e).
            (3) Conforming amendments.--
                    (A) Subparagraph (B) of section 1414(c)(1) of the 
                Safe Drinking Water Act (42 U.S.C. 300g-3(c)(1)(B)) is 
                amended by striking ``, (a)(2), or (e)'' and inserting 
                ``or (a)(2)''.
                    (B) Section 1416(b)(2) of the Safe Drinking Water 
                Act (42 U.S.C. 300g-5(b)(2)) is amended by striking 
                subparagraph (D).
                    (C) Section 1445(h) of the Safe Drinking Water Act 
                (42 U.S.C. 300j-4(h)) is amended--
                            (i) by striking ``sections 1412(b)(4)(E) 
                        and 1415(e) (relating to small system variance 
                        program'' and inserting ``section 
                        1412(b)(4)(E)''; and
                            (ii) by striking ``guidance under sections 
                        1412(b)(4)(E) and 1415(e)'' and inserting 
                        ``guidance under section 1412(b)(4)(E)''.

SEC. 13. FOCUS ON LIFECYCLE COSTS.

    Section 1412(b)(4) of the Safe Drinking Water Act (42 U.S.C. 300g-
1(b)(4)) is amended--
            (1) in subparagraph (D), by striking ``taking cost into 
        consideration'' and inserting ``taking lifecycle costs, 
        including maintenance, replacement, and avoided costs, into 
        consideration''; and
            (2) in subparagraph (E)(ii), in the matter preceding 
        subclause (I), by inserting ``taking lifecycle costs, including 
        maintenance, replacement, and avoided costs, into 
        consideration,'' after ``as determined by the Administrator in 
        consultation with the States,''.

SEC. 14. STREAMLINING REPORTING AND ENFORCEMENT.

    (a) Enforcement.--
            (1) Advice and technical assistance.--Section 1414(a)(1) of 
        the Safe Drinking Water Act (42 U.S.C. 300g-3(a)(1)) is 
        amended--
                    (A) in subparagraph (A), in the matter following 
                clause (ii), by striking ``and provide such advice and 
                technical assistance to such State and public water 
                system as may be appropriate to bring the system into 
                compliance with the requirement by the earliest 
                feasible time''; and
                    (B) by adding at the end the following:
    ``(C) At any time after providing notice of a violation to a State 
and public water system under subparagraph (A), the Administrator may 
provide such advice and technical assistance to such State and public 
water system as may be appropriate to bring the system into compliance 
with the requirement by the earliest feasible time. In deciding whether 
the provision of advice or technical assistance is appropriate, the 
Administrator may consider the potential for the violation to result in 
serious adverse effects to human health, whether the violation has 
occurred continuously or frequently, and the effectiveness of past 
technical assistance efforts.''.
            (2) Additional inspections.--
                    (A) In general.--Section 1414 of the Safe Drinking 
                Water Act (42 U.S.C. 300g-3) is amended--
                            (i) by redesignating subsections (d) 
                        through (i) as subsections (e) through (j), 
                        respectively; and
                            (ii) by inserting after subsection (c) the 
                        following:
    ``(d) Additional Inspections Following Violations.--
            ``(1) In general.--The Administrator shall, by regulation, 
        and after consultation with the States, prescribe the number, 
        frequency, and type of additional inspections to follow any 
        violation requiring notice under subsection (c). Regulations 
        under this subsection shall--
                    ``(A) take into account--
                            ``(i) differences between violations that 
                        are intermittent or infrequent and violations 
                        that are continuous or frequent;
                            ``(ii) the seriousness of any potential 
                        adverse health effects that may be involved; 
                        and
                            ``(iii) the number and severity of past 
                        violations by the public water system; and
                    ``(B) specify procedures for inspections following 
                a violation by a public water system that has the 
                potential to have serious adverse effects on human 
                health as a result of short-term exposure.
            ``(2) State primary enforcement responsibility.--Nothing in 
        this subsection shall be construed or applied to modify the 
        requirements of section 1413.''.
                    (B) Conforming amendments.--
                            (i) Subsections (a)(1)(B), (a)(2)(A), and 
                        (b) of section 1414 of the Safe Drinking Water 
                        Act (42 U.S.C. 300g-3) are amended by striking 
                        ``subsection (g)'' each place it appears and 
                        inserting ``subsection (h)''.
                            (ii) Section 1448(a) of the Safe Drinking 
                        Water Act (42 U.S.C. 300j-7(a)) is amended by 
                        striking ``1414(g)(3)(B)'' and inserting 
                        ``1414(h)(3)(B)''.
    (b) Electronic Reporting of Compliance Monitoring Data to the 
Administrator.--
            (1) Requirement.--Section 1414 of the Safe Drinking Water 
        Act (42 U.S.C. 300g-3), as amended, is further amended by 
        adding at the end the following:
    ``(k) Electronic Reporting of Compliance Monitoring Data to the 
Administrator.--The Administrator shall by rule establish requirements 
for--
            ``(1) electronic submission by public water systems of all 
        compliance monitoring data--
                    ``(A) to the Administrator; or
                    ``(B) with respect to public water systems in a 
                State which has primary enforcement responsibility 
                under section 1413, to such State; and
            ``(2) electronic submission to the Administrator by each 
        State which has primary enforcement responsibility under 
        section 1413 of all compliance monitoring data submitted to 
        such State by public water systems pursuant to paragraph 
        (1)(B).''.
            (2) Final rule.--Not later than 12 months after the date of 
        the enactment of this Act, the Administrator of the 
        Environmental Protection Agency shall issue a final rule to 
        carry out section 1414(k) of the Safe Drinking Water Act, as 
        added by paragraph (1).

SEC. 15. PRESENCE OF PHARMACEUTICALS AND PERSONAL CARE PRODUCTS IN 
              SOURCES OF DRINKING WATER.

    Subsection (a) of section 1442 of the Safe Drinking Water Act (42 
U.S.C. 300j-1) is amended by adding at the end the following:
    ``(11) Presence of Pharmaceuticals and Personal Care Products in 
Sources of Drinking Water.--
            ``(A) Study.--The Administrator shall carry out a study on 
        the presence of pharmaceuticals and personal care products in 
        sources of drinking water, which shall--
                    ``(i) identify pharmaceuticals and personal care 
                products that have been detected in sources of drinking 
                water and the levels at which such pharmaceuticals and 
                personal care products have been detected;
                    ``(ii) identify the sources of pharmaceuticals and 
                personal care products in sources of drinking water, 
                including point sources and nonpoint sources of 
                pharmaceutical and personal care products;
                    ``(iii) identify the effects of such 
                pharmaceuticals and personal care products on humans, 
                the environment, and the safety of drinking water; and
                    ``(iv) identify methods to control, limit, treat, 
                or prevent the presence of such personal care 
                pharmaceuticals and products.
            ``(B) Consultation.--The Administrator shall conduct the 
        study described in subparagraph (A) in consultation with the 
        Secretary of Health and Human Services (acting through the 
        Commissioner of Food and Drugs), the Director of the United 
        States Geological Survey, the heads of other appropriate 
        Federal agencies (including the National Institute of 
        Environmental Health Sciences), and other interested 
        stakeholders (including manufacturers of pharmaceuticals and 
        personal care products and consumer groups and advocates).
            ``(C) Report.--Not later than 4 years after the date of the 
        enactment of this paragraph, the Administrator shall submit to 
        the Congress a report on the results of the study carried out 
        under this paragraph.
            ``(D) Definitions.--In this paragraph:
                    ``(i) The term `personal care product' has the 
                meaning given the term `cosmetic' in section 201 of the 
                Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act.
                    ``(ii) The term `pharmaceutical' has the meaning 
                given the term `drug' in section 201 of the Federal 
                Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act.''.

SEC. 16. BEST PRACTICES FOR ADMINISTRATION OF STATE REVOLVING LOAN FUND 
              PROGRAMS.

    Section 1452 of the Safe Drinking Water Act (42 U.S.C. 300j-12) is 
amended by inserting after subsection (r), as added by section 7(b), 
the following:
    ``(s) Best Practices for Program Administration.--The Administrator 
shall--
            ``(1) collect information from States on administration of 
        State programs with respect to State loan funds, including--
                    ``(A) efforts to streamline the process for 
                applying for assistance through such programs;
                    ``(B) programs in place to assist with the 
                completion of application forms;
                    ``(C) incentives provided to systems that partner 
                with small public water systems for the application 
                process; and
                    ``(D) techniques to ensure that obligated balances 
                are liquidated in a timely fashion;
            ``(2) not later than 3 years after the date of enactment of 
        the Clean Water Infrastructure Act, disseminate to the States 
        best practices for administration of such programs, based on 
        the information collected pursuant to this subsection; and
            ``(3) periodically update such best practices, as 
        appropriate.''.

SEC. 17. WATER LOSS AND LEAK CONTROL TECHNOLOGY.

    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. 1459C. WATER LOSS AND LEAK CONTROL TECHNOLOGY.

    ``The Administrator shall--
            ``(1) not later than 5 years after the date of enactment of 
        this section, develop criteria for effective water loss and 
        leak control technology to be used by public water systems; and
            ``(2) implement a program through which a manufacturer of 
        such technology may apply, on a voluntary basis, for 
        certification of compliance with such criteria.''.

SEC. 18. RISKS OF DROUGHT TO DRINKING WATER.

    Part E of the Safe Drinking Water Act (42 U.S.C. 300j et seq.) is 
further amended by adding at the end the following new section:

``SEC. 1459D. DROUGHT RISK ASSESSMENT AND MANAGEMENT.

    ``(a) 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 the risks of drought to drinking water provided by 
        public water systems. The strategic plan shall include steps 
        and timelines to--
                    ``(A) evaluate the risks posed by drought to 
                drinking water provided by public water systems;
                    ``(B) compile a comprehensive list of the effects 
                of drought on drinking water provided by public water 
                systems which the Administrator determines may have an 
                adverse effect on human health;
                    ``(C) summarize--
                            ``(i) the known adverse human health 
                        effects resulting from the effects of drought 
                        on drinking water included on the list 
                        established under subparagraph (B);
                            ``(ii) factors that cause drought; and
                            ``(iii) factors that exacerbate the effects 
                        of drought on drinking water provided by public 
                        water systems;
                    ``(D) with respect to the effects of drought on 
                drinking water included on the list compiled under 
                subparagraph (B), determine whether to--
                            ``(i) establish guidance regarding feasible 
                        analytical methods to quantify such effects; 
                        and
                            ``(ii) establish guidance regarding the 
                        frequency of monitoring necessary to detect 
                        such effects;
                    ``(E) recommend feasible treatment options, 
                including procedures, equipment, and source water 
                protection practices, to mitigate such effects; and
                    ``(F) 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 the effects of drought on drinking 
                water.
            ``(2) Updates.--The Administrator shall, as appropriate, 
        update and submit to Congress the strategic plan developed 
        under paragraph (1).
    ``(b) Information Coordination.--In carrying out this section the 
Administrator shall--
            ``(1) identify gaps in the Agency's understanding of the 
        effects of drought on drinking water provided by public water 
        systems, including--
                    ``(A) the human health effects of drought; and
                    ``(B) methods and means of testing and monitoring 
                for the effects of drought on 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 drought; or
                            ``(ii) address public health concerns 
                        related to drought;
                    ``(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 drought; or
                    ``(B) addressed public health concerns related to 
                drought.
    ``(c) Feasible.--For purposes of this section, the term `feasible' 
has the meaning given such term in section 1412(b)(4)(D).''.

SEC. 19. REDUCING LEAD IN DRINKING WATER.

    Section 1459B(d) of the Safe Drinking Water Act (42 U.S.C. 300j-
19b(d)) is amended by striking ``$60,000,000 for each of fiscal years 
2017 through 2021'' and inserting ``$100,000,000 for each of fiscal 
years 2019 through 2023''.

SEC. 20. SENSE OF CONGRESS.

    It is the sense of Congress that--
            (1) ``persistent poverty counties'' are those that have had 
        19.5 percent or more of their population living in poverty over 
        the past 30 years, as measured by the 1990, 2000, and 2010 
        decennial censuses;
            (2) persistent poverty in a given community significantly 
        and adversely affects many community members' health, safety, 
        educational, and economic opportunities, and countless other 
        factors that influence quality of life;
            (3) status as a persistent poverty county is often 
        determined by forces beyond a given community's ability to 
        control, including State or Federal under-investment in public 
        goods, historical or ongoing social, economic, or environmental 
        injustices, and long-term economic trends;
            (4) water systems in many persistent poverty counties are 
        aging, unsafe, or otherwise in urgent need of new investment; 
        and
            (5) with respect to new investments in existing water 
        systems authorized by this Act (including the amendments made 
        by this Act) and the Safe Drinking Water Act, discretionary 
        Federal decision-making should prioritize the needs of 
        persistent poverty counties to the extent reconcilable with 
        applicable laws and regulations, the need to make maximally 
        effective use of taxpayer funds, and the public interest 
        generally.
                                 <all>