Environment (Drinking Water)

HB 874 amends Pennsylvania's Safe Drinking Water Act to clarify definitions and update rules for temporary exemptions. It specifically revises the definition of "public water system" to exclude religious facilities (like churches) using private wells for drinking water, while clarifying that systems serving at least 15 connections or 25 daily users qualify as public systems. The bill also modifies how the Department can grant exemptions from water quality standards, requiring proof that exemptions won’t risk health (including no microbial contaminant evidence) and setting federal expiration dates for such exemptions. These changes directly affect public water systems, small communities, and religious organizations relying on private wells, with the law taking effect 60 days after passage.