Bill · S. 3445· Senate(119-S-3445)
A bill to require the provision of alternative drinking water to households whose private drinking water is contaminated with perfluorooctanesulfonic acid and perfluorooctanoic acid substances from activities of the Department of Defense.
- Introduced
- 12/11/2025
- Last activity
- 12/11/2025 — Read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services.
- Sponsored by
- Gary Peters
- Cosponsors
- None
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
This bill requires the Secretary of Defense to offer alternative drinking water to certain households. This applies to households using private wells that have been contaminated with perfluorooctanesulfonic acid and perfluorooctanoic acid from Department of Defense activities. To qualify, the household must be downgradient from a military installation and meet specific contamination and community eligibility criteria. The Secretary must coordinate these efforts with other environmental laws and authorities. There are specific exceptions where the requirement to provide alternative water does not apply.
Yes· 3 of 6
Does this better protect air, water and wildlife?+6
The bill directly addresses the environmental hazard of PFAS contamination in private drinking water due to defense activities.
Does this make health care easier to get in general?+5
The bill provides households with alternative water sources like bottled water or filtration to mitigate health risks from contaminated wells.
Would people in rural areas be better off under this?+4
The bill specifically targets households using private wells, which are commonly found in rural areas near military installations.
The opposite
No question was scored the opposite.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
-
Access to safe water sources: The Secretary of Defense must offer alternative drinking water to households whose private wells have exceeded maximum contaminant levels for specific substances due to military activities (Section 1(a)).
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Variety of water solutions: The bill defines "alternative drinking water" to include bottled water, connections to public water systems, or the provision of filtration systems for private residences (Section 1(d)(1)).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
-
Limited eligibility requirements: A household might not receive alternative water if they are not downgradient from a military installation, even if contaminated (Section 1(a)(1)).
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Community-based restrictions on assistance: The Secretary is not required to provide alternative water if the household is part of a community where all affected households have already been connected to a municipal drinking water system (Section 1(c)(1)).
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Exceptions based on existing actions: Assistance may not be required if the Secretary has already taken action under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 to reduce exposures or meet drinking water standards (Section 1(c)(2)).
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Good For Rural Residents+4Good For Low Income Households+3
- Environment Energy And Infrastructure
- Improves Environmental Protections+6
- Healthcare
- Improves Healthcare Access+5
- Social Issues And Justice
- Improves Poverty Reduction+2
- National Security And Foreign Policy
- Improves Veterans Benefits+1
- 12/11/2025
- Read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services.
- Introduced in Senate
One bill Congress.gov lists as related to this one — companions in the other chamber, earlier versions, and bills this one absorbed or was folded into.