Bill Summary
The "Public Utility Remediation and Enhancement for Water Act" is a proposed bill that aims to amend the Federal Water Pollution Control Act in order to address emerging contaminants in public water systems. These contaminants include substances such as perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl, which have been identified by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as potentially harmful to human health. The bill would establish a grant program through the EPA to provide funding to owners and operators of publicly owned treatment works for compliance with treatment requirements for these emerging contaminants. The bill also includes a cost-sharing provision, where the federal government would cover at least 75% of the costs, and the remaining amount could come from a combination of public and private funds. The bill also requires that the grant-funded activities adhere to the same requirements as those receiving assistance from state water pollution control revolving funds, unless the EPA determines that a specific requirement is inconsistent with the purpose of the Act. The bill would also authorize $200 million in appropriations for the EPA to carry out this program from 2026 to 2028.
Possible Impacts
1. Individuals and communities who rely on public water treatment services may see an improvement in the quality of their drinking water due to the use of grant funds for treatment of emerging contaminants.
2. Publicly owned treatment works may face financial burdens in complying with the requirements for treating emerging contaminants, leading to potential increases in utility bills for consumers.
3. The financial assistance and loans provided by this legislation may disproportionately benefit wealthier communities, while lower income areas may struggle to meet their share of the costs for treatment activities.
[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4961 Introduced in House (IH)]
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119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 4961
To amend the Federal Water Pollution Control Act to direct the
Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency to establish a
program to provide grants to owners and operators of publicly owned
treatment works for use complying with requirements regarding the
treatment of emerging contaminants, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
August 12, 2025
Ms. Scholten (for herself, Mr. Fitzpatrick, Ms. Sewell, Ms. Stevens,
Mr. Deluzio, Mr. Cohen, Mr. Huffman, and Mr. Lawler) introduced the
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Transportation
and Infrastructure
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend the Federal Water Pollution Control Act to direct the
Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency to establish a
program to provide grants to owners and operators of publicly owned
treatment works for use complying with requirements regarding the
treatment of emerging contaminants, 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.
This Act may be cited as the ``Public Utility Remediation and
Enhancement for Water Act''.
SEC. 2. GRANTS FOR TREATMENT OF EMERGING CONTAMINANTS.
Title II of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (33 U.S.C. 1281
et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following new section:
``SEC. 228. EMERGING CONTAMINANTS.
``(a) In General.--Not later than 180 days after the date of
enactment of this section, the Administrator shall establish a program
under which the Administrator may award grants to an owner or operator
of a publicly owned treatment works for use--
``(1) in the planning, design, and construction of
treatment works to prevent, limit, or treat the discharge of a
perfluoroalkyl substance, a polyfluoroalkyl substance, or any
other emerging contaminant, as identified by the Administrator;
or
``(2) complying with the requirements of a pretreatment
standard or an effluent limitation under this Act that relates
to the introduction or discharge of a perfluoroalkyl substance,
a polyfluoroalkyl substance, or any other emerging contaminant,
as identified by the Administrator.
``(b) Cost Sharing.--
``(1) Federal share.--The Federal share of the cost of
activities carried out using grant funds awarded under
subsection (a) shall be not less than 75 percent of the total
estimated cost of such activities.
``(2) Non-federal share.--The applicable non-Federal share
of the total estimated cost of such activities may include, in
any amount, public and private funds and in-kind services, and
may include, notwithstanding section 603(h), financial
assistance, including loans, from a State water pollution
control revolving fund.
``(c) Administrative Requirements.--
``(1) In general.--An activity carried out using grant
funds awarded under subsection (a) shall be carried out subject
to the same requirements as a project that receives assistance
from a State water pollution control revolving fund under title
VI, except to the extent that the Administrator determines that
a requirement of title VI is inconsistent with the purposes of
this section.
``(2) Limitation.--For the purposes of this subsection, the
Administrator may not determine that a requirement of title VI
relating to the application of section 513 or 608 are
inconsistent with the purposes of this section.
``(d) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be
appropriated to the Administrator to carry out this section
$200,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2026 through 2028.''.
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