Small System Safe Drinking Water Act of 2005

Bill: 109-s-2161
Sponsor: Sen. Inhofe, James M. [R-OK]
Introduced: 2005-12-21 in the Senate
Policy area: Environmental Protection
Subjects: Administrative procedure
Arsenic
Congress
Congressional reporting requirements
Economics and Public Finance
Environmental Protection Agency
Environmental health
Environmental research
Environmental technology
Federal aid to water pollution control
Government Operations and Politics
Governmental investigations
Health
Infrastructure
Law
Potable water
Research and development
Revolving funds
Science, Technology, Communications
Technology transfer
Waste water treatment
Water Resources Development
Water pollution control
Water purification
Water treatment plants

Summary:
action_date: 2005-12-21
text: 
Small System Safe Drinking Water Act of 2005 - Amends the Safe Drinking Water Act to require the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA): (1) to convene a working group to study barriers to using specified treatments; (2) to develop model guidance to assist states in regulating and promoting such treatment options; and (3) when proposing a national standard for drinking water that includes a maximum containment level, to translate health effects into the quantity of water an individual can consume and the timeframe that may elapse before the effects of a contaminate can occur.
 
Requires: (1) feasible technologies to reflect water sources from various regions of the United States; and (2) the Administrator to consider specified cost factors when establishing affordability criteria for variance technology.
 
Prohibits the Administrator or a state from enforcing a national primary drinking water regulation when: (1) variance technology is not identified in guidance or regulations for public water systems serving a population of less than 10,000; and (2) sufficient funds are not available to assist each system in meeting regulations.
 
Considers a system that conforms to a bilateral compliance agreement with the state to be in compliance with related federal drinking water standards.
 
Revises provisions allowing an exemption of a system from maximum containment level and treatment technique requirements to: (1) increase the population threshold; and (2) allow state determinations of a renewal period.
 
Establishes pilot programs to: (1) explore new technologies or approaches to comply with a standard; and (2) research technology transfer issues and disinfection strategies.
 
Revises technical assistance provisions to require water systems to receive adequate technical assistance and training to meet requirements of final rules. Gives priority to systems not in compliance with specified rules concerning: (1) disinfectants and disinfection byproducts; and (2) arsenic and compliance and new source monitoring. Prohibits enforcement by the Administrator against a system unless adequate technical assistance and training are first provided. Authorizes appropriations through FY2010.
 
Requires the Administrator to establish a panel to study the health effects of exposure to arsenic and disinfection byproducts.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2005-12-21
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.
action_date: 2005-12-21
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR 12/22/2005 S14322)
action_date: 2005-12-21
text: Introduced in Senate