Bill > S2820

This bill, the Contaminant and Lead Electronic Accounting and Reporting Requirements (CLEARR) for Drinking Water Act of 2016, aims to modernize and improve the reporting and compliance mechanisms for drinking water quality under the Safe Drinking Water Act. Key provisions include dedicating at least 6% of state funds received through capitalization grants to assist disadvantaged communities in meeting national drinking water standards, establishing clearer affordability criteria for these communities, and creating a process for expedited water quality testing for minority, tribal, and low-income communities, with results made publicly available online. The bill also mandates the development of an electronic database for water quality and health screening test results, including blood lead levels, and requires the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to assign regional liaisons to assist these vulnerable communities. Furthermore, it enhances reporting requirements for public water systems that are not in compliance, including those with exemptions, variances, or persistent violations, and mandates the EPA to provide advice and technical assistance to help them achieve compliance. Finally, the bill requires public water systems to submit all compliance monitoring data electronically to the EPA or their state, and establishes a framework for additional inspections following violations, with a focus on the seriousness of potential health effects and the history of violations.