Bipartisan, NSF-Supported Legislation to Promote Clean Drinking Water

On July 20, 2021, Reps. Kildee (D) and Gallagher (R) reintroduced the Test Your Well Water Act. This bill directs the administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to establish a household well water testing website. The Test Your Well Water Act comes at a critical time. Currently, more than 13 million American households depend on private well water for their daily needs, yet only half of these wells have been tested in the last 5 years and only a small number are tested annually, as recommended by the EPA and Centers for Disease Control (CDC).

The proposed website will house the following:

• Information on how to get drinking water tested for a home served by an individual private well.
• A list of laboratories that analyze water samples and are certified by a state or the administrator.
• State-specific information, developed in coordination with each state, on naturally occurring and human-induced contaminants.
• Information that, using accepted risk communication techniques, clearly communicates whether a test result value exceeds a level determined by the administrator or the state to pose a health risk.
• Information on treatment options, including information relating to water treatment systems certified to the relevant NSF/ANSI American National Standard for drinking water treatment units by a third-party certification body, such as NSF, accredited by the ANSI National Accreditation Board.

By naming NSF-specific standards, Reps. Kildee and Gallagher cast a spotlight on our dedication to protecting and improving global human health. For more information about the bill, check out the joint press release.