[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 3445 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
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119th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 3445
To require the provision of alternative drinking water to households
whose private drinking water is contaminated with
perfluorooctanesulfonic acid and perfluorooctanoic acid substances from
activities of the Department of Defense.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
December 11, 2025
Mr. Peters introduced the following bill; which was read twice and
referred to the Committee on Armed Services
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To require the provision of alternative drinking water to households
whose private drinking water is contaminated with
perfluorooctanesulfonic acid and perfluorooctanoic acid substances from
activities of the Department of Defense.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. PROVISION OF ALTERNATIVE DRINKING WATER TO HOUSEHOLDS WHOSE
PRIVATE DRINKING WATER IS CONTAMINATED WITH
PERFLUOROOCTANESULFONIC ACID AND PERFLUOROOCTANOIC ACID
SUBSTANCES FROM DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE ACTIVITIES.
(a) In General.--Subject to subsections (b) and (c), on and after
the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall
offer alternative drinking water to a household if--
(1) the household is downgradient from a military
installation;
(2) the household receives water from one or more private
drinking water wells where contamination from detections of
perfluorooctanesulfonic acid and perfluorooctanoic acid
substances resulting solely from activities of the Department
of Defense, as determined by the Secretary, carried out at such
military installation has, at one point in time, exceeded the
maximum contaminant level for such substances established by
the Environmental Protection Agency; and
(3) as of the date of the enactment of this Act, another
household located in the same community was eligible for
alternative drinking water provided by the Secretary by reason
of contamination from detections of perfluorooctanesulfonic
acid and perfluorooctanoic acid substances resulting from
activities of the Department carried out at the same military
installation.
(b) Coordination With Other Authorities.--The Secretary of Defense
shall carry out this section in a manner that is consistent with the
Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act
of 1980 (42 U.S.C. 9601 et seq.) and the authorities of the Secretary
under environmental law, including by prioritizing and coordinating the
efforts of the Secretary under subsection (a) with other efforts to
address releases of perfluorooctanesulfonic acid and perfluorooctanoic
acid.
(c) Exception.--The Secretary is not required to offer or provide
alternative drinking water to a household under subsection (a) if--
(1) the household is part of a community, as determined by
the Secretary, where all the households in the community that
have been affected by contamination from detections of
perfluorooctanesulfonic acid and perfluorooctanoic acid
substances resulting from activities of the Department have
been connected to a municipal drinking water distribution
system; or
(2) the Secretary has otherwise taken action under the
Comprehensive, Environmental Response, Compensation, and
Liability Act of 1980 (42 U.S.C. 9601 et seq.) to reduce
drinking water exposures, including by meeting the relevant
Federal or State drinking water standards for
perfluorooctanesulfonic acid and perfluorooctanoic acid
substances.
(d) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) The term ``alternative drinking water'' includes--
(A) provision of bottled water;
(B) connection to public water systems for members
of the public using private wells; and
(C) provision of filtration systems for private
residences.
(2) The term ``Federal drinking water standard'' means an
enforceable Federal standard for drinking water, as described
in section 121(d)(2)(A)(i) of the Comprehensive Environmental
Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 (42 U.S.C.
9621(d)(2)(A)(i)).
(3) The terms ``maximum contaminant level'' and ``public
water system'' have the meanings given those terms in section
1401 of the Safe Drinking Water Act (42 U.S.C. 300f).
(4) The term ``private drinking water well'' means a
drinking water well that is not a public water system and is
not connected to a public water system.
(5) The term ``State drinking water standard'' means an
enforceable State standard, in effect in that State, for
drinking water, as described in section 121(d)(2)(A)(ii) of the
Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and
Liability Act of 1980 (42 U.S.C. 9621(d)(2)(A)(ii)).
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