Safe Drinking Water Amendments of 1977
Public Law 95-190 · S. 1528 · 95th Congress · began in the Senate
Signed by Jimmy Carter (D) on Nov 16, 1977 · Environmental Protection
Sponsor: Sen. Jennings Randolph (D-WV)
Cosponsors: None
Passage votes
- HouseMethod not stated
- SenateMethod not stated
Data notes
The final version of the law, as each chamber passed it. A chamber that passed it by voice vote or unanimous consent has no count. “Method not stated” means the record does not say how the chamber voted. Where the record has a member-by-member vote, the “Who voted for it” section shows who voted yea.
Summary
The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.
(House agreed to Senate amendments with amendments (See H.Res. 885))
Safe Drinking Water Amendments - Amends the Public Health Service Act to authorize appropriations for fiscal years 1978 and 1979 to enable the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency: (1) to provide technical assistance, information, and training of personnel in order to improve the safety of public drinking water supplies; (2) to make grants to States to carry out public water system supervision programs; and (3) to make grants to States to carry out underground water source protection programs.
Amends the Safe Drinking Water Act to authorize appropriations for fiscal year 1978 and 1979 to enable the Administrator to conduct a survey of the quantity, quality, and availability of rural drinking water supplies.
Specifies that none of the funds authorized under this Act are to be used for research under Title XIV (Safety of Public Water Systems) of the Public Health Service Act.
Directs the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency to submit a report to Congress analyzing the anticipated cost of compliance with interim and revised national primary drinking water regulations and methods of paying the costs of compliance.
Requires the Administrator to submit to Congress a report on the availability of an adequate and dependable supply of safe drinking water to meet present and projected future need.
Directs the Administrator to study the effects of specified chemicals and compounds on the safety of drinking water, and means of removing, treating, or otherwise controlling contamination from such substances.
Allows the Administrator to extend the date for submission of an application by a State for approval of the State's underground injection control program.
Extends through fiscal year 1979 the authority of the Administrator to assure the availability of chemicals needed for water treatment.
Makes each Federal agency having jurisdiction over any federally maintained public water system or engaged in any activity which may result in underground injection endangering drinking water, subject to all Federal, State, and local requirements, administrative authorities, and process sanctions respecting safe drinking water.
Adds to the definition of "person" for purposes of Title XIV (Safety of Public Water Systems), Federal agencies, officers, employees, and agents of any corporation, company, association, State, municipality, or Federal agency.
Specifies the rights of citizens, States, and local governments to commence a civil action against any person in violation of Title XIV.
Authorizes the Administrator to provide technical assistance and to make grants to States or publicly owned water systems to assist in alleviating emergency situations respecting drinking water which may be anticipated to endanger public health.
Authorizes the Administrator to require periodic assessment and evaluation of unregulated contaminants of drinking water which may require continuous monitoring or regulation.
Authorizes the Administrator to provide technical assistance and make grants to States or publicly owned water systems to assist in responding to emergency situations affecting public water systems.
Makes technical and conforming amendments to the Clean Air Act.
Committees
The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.
Data notes
A committee links to its page only where it exists in the current Congress; older and renamed committees are named without a link.
Timeline
From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 16 actions.
- Nov 16, 1977Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- PresidentPresident · Public Law 95-190.
- Nov 4, 1977PresidentPresident · Measure presented to President.
- Nov 3, 1977PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in Senate.
- PresidentPresident · Measure enrolled in House.
- Nov 1, 1977Resolving differencesResolving differences · Senate agreed to House amendments to certain Senate amendments.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · House agreed to Senate amendments with an amendment (See H.Res. 885).
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · House agreed to certain amendment (See H.Res. 885).
- Aug 5, 1977Resolving differencesResolving differences · Senate agreed to House amendment with amendments.
- Jul 12, 1977FloorFloor · Measure passed House, amended, in lieu of H.R. 6827.
- FloorFloor · Measure called up by unanimous consent in House.
- May 24, 1977FloorFloor · Measure passed Senate.
- FloorFloor · Measure called up by unanimous consent in Senate.
- May 16, 1977CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Senate Environment and Public Works Committee
- CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Senate Environment and Public Works Committee
- IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in the Senate
Data notes
Shows the introduction, each committee and subcommittee step the source dates (referral, hearings, markup, report, discharge), and the floor, conference, presidential and became-law steps. Calendar placements, messages between the chambers, amendments and committee report numbers are not shown for laws before the 108th Congress. Two entries the source lists twice are shown once.
Official record
The bill’s full text and every action, including introduction and committee steps, are on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.