To amend the Safe Drinking Water Act to require persons contributing to drinking water contamination to reimburse public water systems for the costs of decontamination.

Summary

Amends the Safe Drinking Water Act to authorize the owner or operator (owner) of a public water system (system) that has incurred costs for treatment, monitoring, or both (treatment) with respect to any contaminant present in source water, to bring an action in U.S. district court against any person whose negligence caused or contributed to the presence of such contaminant at levels which require treatment. Directs the court to require such person to reimburse the owner for the portion of costs attributable to the contamination caused or contributed by such person. Authorizes the owner, whenever a system has incurred costs for treatment with respect to any substance regulated under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) that is present in source water, to bring an action in U.S. district court against any manufacturer or importer of such substance. Directs the court to require such manufacturer or importer to reimburse the owner for the portion of treatment costs attributable to such substance. Provides that no person shall be liable under this Act for: (1) the release of any contaminant pursuant to a federally permitted release if the permit concerned specifically considers the impact of the use of the contaminant on drinking water sources; (2) the normal application of a fertilizer to the extent that such application was in accordance with the manufacturer's or distributor's instructions and not in violation of Federal or State law; (3) the normal application of a substance regulated under FIFRA if such substance is handled and applied in accordance with applicable FIFRA requirements and any manufacturer's or distributor's instructions; (4) any monitoring costs for a contaminant found at levels reliably and consistently below the maximum contaminant level; and (5) any contaminant present in the source water of a system if the court finds that such person caused or contributed only a small portion of the total amount of such contaminant.

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Documents

3 official files

• Introduced in House (text)

  Introduced in House · EN · 13 June 1996

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• Introduced in House (PDF)

  Introduced in House · EN · 13 June 1996

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• Introduced in House

  summary · EN · 13 June 1996

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