H.R. 6060 — SAFE Taps Act

This section states congressional findings that (1) lead in drinking water poses a grave public health threat with no known safe level of exposure, causing irreversible neurological damage in children and serious health conditions in adults; (2) lead service lines are the most significant source of lead contamination, with the EPA estimating 9.2 million such lines serving buildings nationwide; (3) EPA regulations (40 C.F.R. part 141, subpart I) mandate full replacement of most lead service lines within 10 years; (4) state revolving loan funds under SDWA §1452 (42 U.S.C. 300j-12) are inadequate for many financially distressed communities lacking debt capacity or technical expertise; (5) Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act funds for lead service line replacement revealed a substantial funding gap and barriers for vulnerable communities; (6) lead service lines are often connected to aging drinking water mains nearing the end of their useful life; and (7) a dedicated federal grant program is necessary for equitable, efficient replacement of all lead service lines and non-lead-free mains to protect public health, ensure regulatory compliance, and advance environmental justice.

This section establishes a grant program, subject to the availability of appropriations, under which the Administrator provides grants to eligible recipients to pay for eligible project costs associated with replacing lead, galvanized steel, and iron service lines and lead drinking water mains. The section requires contractors and subcontractors performing such construction, alteration, or repair work to pay laborers and mechanics wages at rates not less than those prevailing locally, as determined by the Secretary of Labor under the Davis-Bacon Act (40 U.S.C. ch. 31, subch. IV).

This section establishes definitions for purposes of the Act, including (1) Administrator as the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency; (2) eligible project costs as costs to replace lead service lines, galvanized steel or iron service lines downstream of lead components, non-lead-free drinking water mains, or to plan or design such replacements, develop or update lead service line inventories, or restore replacement sites using program grants; (3) eligible recipient as a unit of local government, public water system, or federally recognized Indian Tribe; (4) lead free as defined in section 1417(d)(1) of the Safe Drinking Water Act; (5) lead service line as defined in section 1459B(a) of the Safe Drinking Water Act; (6) program as the program established under section 3(a); and (7) public water system as defined in section 1401(4) of the Safe Drinking Water Act.