Gary Peters (D-MI)
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.
A Democratic bill with no cosponsors
Last activity — Read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services.
In committee
Introduced and handed to a committee in the chamber it started in.
The committee holds it, and most bills are never heard from again. A hearing or a committee vote would be news; silence is the usual outcome, and it kills the bill without anyone voting against it.
Its path through Congress
- 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
- Scored +6
Does this better protect air, water and wildlife?
The bill directly addresses the environmental hazard of PFAS contamination in private drinking water due to defense activities.
- Scored +5
Does this make health care easier to get in general?
The bill provides households with alternative water sources like bottled water or filtration to mitigate health risks from contaminated wells.
- Scored +4
Would people in rural areas be better off under this?
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
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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
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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. Tap or hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Would people in rural areas be better off under this? — The bill specifically targets households using private wells, which are commonly found in rural areas near military installations. Would households on low incomes be better off under this? — The bill provides essential water resources to households that might otherwise struggle with the costs of water remediation.
- Environment Energy And Infrastructure
- Does this better protect air, water and wildlife? — The bill directly addresses the environmental hazard of PFAS contamination in private drinking water due to defense activities.
- Healthcare
- Does this make health care easier to get in general? — The bill provides households with alternative water sources like bottled water or filtration to mitigate health risks from contaminated wells.
- Social Issues And Justice
- Is this likely to lift people out of poverty? — The bill reduces the financial burden on households by providing free water alternatives to address contamination costs.
- National Security And Foreign Policy
- Does this increase the pay, pensions or support veterans receive? — The bill addresses environmental impacts stemming from military installation activities which can affect veteran communities living near bases.
- 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.