H.R. 6060: Safe and Fair Elimination of Taps with Lead Service Lines Act

This bill, known as the Safe and Fair Elimination of Taps with Lead Service Lines Act (or SAFE Taps Act), aims to address issues related to lead contamination in drinking water across the United States. It seeks to establish a grant program managed by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to provide financial support for the replacement of lead and other harmful service lines used in drinking water systems.

Key Provisions of the Bill

• Purpose of the Grant Program: The program is designed to provide grants to local governments, public water systems, and federally recognized Indian Tribes to assist with the costs associated with replacing lead and galvanized steel or iron service lines, as well as lead drinking water mains.
• Public Health Concern: The bill highlights that lead in drinking water poses severe health risks, especially to children, and that replacing lead service lines is crucial to ensure safe drinking water.
• Current Challenges: It acknowledges that many communities, particularly those that are financially distressed, struggle with the costs and complexities associated with replacing these service lines, thereby necessitating a grant program instead of relying only on loan funding.
• Labor Standards: The bill ensures that workers involved in projects funded by these grants will receive wages in alignment with local prevailing rates as determined by the Secretary of Labor, in accordance with the Davis-Bacon Act.

Eligible Projects and Costs

The eligible project costs that can be funded through this grant program include:

• Replacement of lead service lines.
• Replacement of galvanized steel or iron service lines that are downstream of lead components.
• Replacement of drinking water mains that are not lead-free.
• Planning or designing the replacement of service lines and mains.
• Developing or updating inventories of lead service lines.
• Restoring sites where service lines or mains have been replaced.

Eligible Recipients

The bill specifies who can receive these grants:

• Units of local government.
• Public water systems.
• Federally recognized Indian Tribes.

Context and Need

The legislation notes significant findings regarding the state of drinking water infrastructure in the U.S. The EPA has approximately 9.2 million lead service lines that are connected to homes, schools, and childcare facilities. Given the legal obligations for communities to replace these lines, a dedicated federal grant program is proposed as a solution to support the imperative and timely replacement of lead and other harmful service lines.

Conclusion on Need for Effective Infrastructure

Finally, the bill emphasizes that simply replacing lead service lines is insufficient if associated aging drinking water mains are not also attended to; doing so would ensure the long-term reliability and integrity of the nation’s drinking water systems and align with goals for environmental justice and public health.

Relevant Companies

• None found