Safe School Drinking Water Act

Bill: 117-hr-4805
Sponsor: full_name: Rep. Clarke, Yvette D. [D-NY-9]
Introduced: 2021-07-29
Policy area: Environmental Protection
Subjects: Child care and development

Child health

Education programs funding

Educational facilities and institutions

Elementary and secondary education

Hazardous wastes and toxic substances

Water quality

Water use and supply
Latest action: action_date: 2021-07-30
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Environment and Climate Change.

Summaries:
action_date: 2021-07-29
action_desc: Introduced in House
text: <p><b>Safe School Drinking Water Act</b></p> <p>This bill requires the Environmental Protection Agency to establish a program to award grants to assist local educational agencies in installing and maintaining filtration stations (e.g., drinking fountains) at schools and child care programs.</p>

tv_txt: I 117th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 4805 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES July 29, 2021 Ms. Clarke of New York (for herself, Ms. Barragán , Ms. Norton , Mr. Blumenauer , Mr. Nadler , Mrs. Carolyn B. Maloney of New York , Mr. Lowenthal , Ms. Schakowsky , Ms. Velázquez , Mr. Payne , Mr. Evans , Ms. Newman , Mr. Espaillat , Ms. Lee of California , and Ms. Meng ) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce A BILL To direct the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency to establish a program to make grants to States to assist local educational agencies in voluntary installation and maintenance of filtration stations at schools and child care programs, and for other purposes.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Safe School Drinking Water Act . 2. Grant program for installation of filtration stations at schools and child care programs Section 1464 of the Safe Drinking Water Act ( 42 U.S.C. 300j–24 ) is amended by adding at the end the following: (e) Grant program for installation and maintenance of filtration stations (1) Program The Administrator shall establish a program to make grants to States to assist local educational agencies in voluntary installation and maintenance of filtration stations at schools and child care programs under the jurisdiction of the local educational agencies. (2) Direct grants to local educational agencies The Administrator may make a grant described in paragraph (1) directly available to— (A) any local educational agency described in clause (i) or (iii) of subsection (d)(1)(B) located in a State that does not participate in the program established under paragraph (1); or (B) any local educational agency described in clause (ii) of subsection (d)(1)(B). (3) Use of funds Grants made under the program established under this subsection may be used to pay the costs of— (A) installation and maintenance of filtration stations at schools and child care programs; and (B) annual testing of drinking water at such schools and child care programs following the installation of filtration stations. (4) Priority In making grants under the program established under this subsection, the Administrator shall give priority to States and local educational agencies that will assist in voluntary installation and maintenance of filtration stations at schools and child care programs that are in low-income areas. (5) Guidance Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this subsection, the Administrator shall establish guidance to carry out the program established under this subsection. (6) No prior testing required The program established under this subsection shall not require testing for lead contamination in drinking water at schools and child care programs prior to participation in such program. (7) Definitions In this subsection: (A) Child care program and local educational agency The terms child care program and local educational agency have the meaning given such terms in subsection (d). (B) Filtration station The term filtration station means an apparatus that— (i) is connected to building plumbing; (ii) is certified to the latest version of NSF/ANSI 53 for lead reduction and NSF/ANSI 42 for particulate reduction (Class I) by a certification body accredited by the American National Standards Institute National Accreditation Board; (iii) has an indicator to show filter performance; (iv) can fill bottles or containers for water consumption; and (v) allows users to drink directly from a stream of flowing water. (8) Authorization of appropriations There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this subsection $100,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2022 through 2031. .