2025 Safe Drinking Water Act.

GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA
SESSION 2025
S 1
SENATE BILL 324

Short Title: 2025 Safe Drinking Water Act. (Public)
Sponsors: Senators Everitt, Applewhite, and Smith (Primary Sponsors).
Referred to: Rules and Operations of the Senate
March 19, 2025
*S324-v-1*
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1
AN ACT TO PROTECT NO RTH CAROLINA CITIZEN S FROM HARMFUL TOXIN S IN 2
DRINKING WATER BY REQUIRING THE COMMISSION FOR PUBLIC HEALTH TO 3
ESTABLISH MAXIMUM CO NTAMINANT LEVELS FOR CHEMICALS THAT ARE 4
PROBABLE OR KNOWN CARCINOGENS OR ARE OTHERWISE TOXIC. 5
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts: 6
SECTION 1.(a) The Commission for Public Health shall, no later than October 15, 7
2025: 8
(1) Commence rulemaking to establish maximum contaminant levels (MCLs), as 9
that term is defined under G.S. 130A-313, for probable or known carcinogens 10
and other toxic chemicals that are likely to pose a substantial hazard to public 11
health. At a minimum, the Commission shall establish MCLs for all of the 12
following contaminants: 13
a. Per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). 14
b. Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA). 15
c. Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS). 16
d. Hexavalent chromium (chromium-6). 17
e. 1,4-Dioxane. 18
(2) Consider establishment of MCLs for any other contaminants for which at least 19
two other states have set MCLs or issued guidance. 20
SECTION 1.(b) In the course of establishing MCLs as required by subsection (a) of 21
this section, the Commission shall: 22
(1) Review MCLs adopted by other states, the studies and scientific evidence 23
reviewed by those states, material in the Agency for Toxic Substances and 24
Disease Registry, and the latest peer -reviewed science and independent or 25
government agency studies on appropriate MCLs for such contaminants. 26
(2) Adopt MCLs protective of public health, including vulnerable subpopulations 27
such as pregnant and nursing mothers, infants, and children, which state 28
MCLs shall not exceed any MCL or health advisory established by the United 29
States Environmental Protection Agency. 30
SECTION 2. The Commission for Public Health shall annually review t he latest 31
peer-reviewed science and independent or government agency studies and undertake additional 32
rulemaking as necessary to establish or revise MCLs for contaminants that are likely to pose a 33
substantial threat to public health. 34
SECTION 3. This act is effective when it becomes law. 35