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U.S. Congresswoman Debbie Dingell (MI-12) introduced legislation that would make consumer confidence reports on drinking water quality more frequent and easier for every American to understand. The Consumer Confidence Reports for Tomorrow Act would require the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to issue quarterly reports for drinking water systems, rather than annual, and increase the effectiveness and understandability of the reports to improve transparency and help prevent future drinking water crises.

“We have a crisis of confidence in our drinking water systems and consumers deserve clear and immediate notification and transparency when it comes to water quality,” said Dingell. “In Michigan, where the Flint water crisis still remains in our hearts and minds, we know the importance of this more than most. With 90 percent of Americans receiving their drinking water from a public drinking water system, it is our collective responsibility to provide strong funding for modernization and continue to find effective ways to keep the public informed on the quality of their drinking water. This legislation will improve consumer notifications and transparency to help prevent future drinking water crises.”

Dingell highlighted the legislation this week during a House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee markup on the Drinking Water System Improvement Act, which would take important steps to authorize significant funding to support grants for state drinking water programs, strengthen State Revolving Loan Funds, and provide an assessment for replacing all lead contaminated pipes across the country. For video please click here.

Dingell’s legislation would build on the Drinking Water Systems Improvement Act by requiring quarterly reporting on water quality, improving consumer confidence reports, establishing a national consumer confidence report, and requiring EPA to maintain and keep current a searchable website providing access to consumer confidence reports, sortable by zip code and water system.