Water Quality Standards Attainability Act

House Votes

This bill would make states hold public hearings to review water quality rules for any river, lake, or bay that gets discharge from a city system that mixes stormwater and sewage. These reviews must look at whether overflow controls are cost‑effective, and the results have to be shared with the EPA Administrator. It also tells the EPA to consider the cost and real‑world availability of treatment technologies when setting or updating national water quality guidelines.

In plain terms, this aims to balance clean water goals with practical, affordable fixes for older sewer systems that send mixed stormwater and sewage into local waters during heavy rain.

• Who is affected: State environmental agencies, cities with combined sewer systems, wastewater utilities, and people living near affected waters.
• What changes: Required public hearings on local water standards; required check that overflow controls are cost‑effective; EPA must weigh technology costs and availability when shaping water quality criteria.
• Why it matters: Could lead to more open input on water rules and potentially more affordable, workable upgrades for aging sewer systems while still aiming to protect local water quality.