On Earth Day, eighteen Pennsylvania State Senators introduced SB 777, state legislation that would protect rivers, streams, and aquifers (groundwater) that supply our public drinking water. This bill, the Safer Drinking Water Act, will provide special protection to any water that supplies the public with its drinking water.

Take Action Now: Urge your State Senator to support the Safer Drinking Water Act and push for a vote in the senate.

What's the Problem?

Drinking water sources have little special protection in Pennsylvania from pollution. In fact, millions of residents drink from rivers that are the lowest quality in the state, some not even meeting federal Clean Water Act standards. Polluters can discharge some chemicals into our waterways without limit, requiring expensive treatment by drinking water plants to remove the contaminants. Every year, we site chemical storage tanks or gas stations near our public wells and river intakes without thinking that leaks and accidents could contaminate our drinking water.

A pristine trout stream in Pennsylvania receives much more protection from pollution than the average stream providing our drinking water. While we want to make sure our fishing spots are protected, our families deserve protection as well!

What's the Solution?

The Safer Drinking Water Act will establish critical zones around public wells and upstream from drinking water intakes on rivers. Polluters wanting to discharge in these critical zones will not be able to make water quality worse. And certain polluting activities will be restricted in the critical zones.

Instead of cleaning up pollution after the fact, we will be preventing pollution before it gets to our drinking water! EPA studies have found that we can save $27 in treatment costs for every $1 we invest in preventing pollution from reaching our drinking water.

Take Action

Send an e-mail and let your Pennsylvania State Senator know that you want them to support the Safer Drinking Water Act and push for a vote in the State Senate soon.