House passes bill that aims to protect water from contamination

Jessica Wehrman and Tina Nazerian in our Washington Bureau are reporting that the House last has passed a bill sponsored by Rep. Bob Latta that aims to prevent the type of contamination that kept residents of Toledo from being able to safely drink water for several days in August.

The bill, called the Drinking Water Protection Act, would require the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to develop and submit a plan to Congress for assessing and managing the risks associated with toxic algae in drinking water. In the Senate, Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio, has introduced a companion bill. The bill passed 375-37, with all Ohio lawmakers supporting it.