HB541 Alabama 2025 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Neil RaffertyRepresentative

Democrat

Session

2025 Regular Session

Title

Safe Drinking Water Act; environmental management department required to investigate for PFAS; private right of action against responsible persons established

Summary

HB541 would empower Alabama to investigate PFAS in public water systems, create enforcement actions against responsible parties, and update the Safe Drinking Water Act to address PFAS concerns.

What This Bill Does

It requires the Department of Environmental Management to investigate PFAS in public water systems and drinking water sources after a complaint and to identify potentially responsible persons. It authorizes the department, public water systems, and the Attorney General to sue those responsible to recover remediation costs, damages, and equitable relief under specified conditions. It establishes strict liability for those found responsible, while providing an exemption from liability for certain water facility owners or operators if PFAS discharges comply with a valid NPDES permit, and it includes nonsubstantive technical updates with an effective date of October 1, 2025.

Who It Affects

• Public water systems/utilities: must respond to PFAS complaints, may be investigated, and could be parties to enforcement actions or lawsuits.
• Potentially responsible persons: could be sued and face strict liability for PFAS contamination.
• Alabama Department of Environmental Management (ADEM): responsible for investigating PFAS and pursuing actions against responsible parties.
• Attorney General: may initiate civil actions to recover cleanup costs, damages, and equitable relief.
• Owners/operators of public water treatment or wastewater facilities: may be exempt from liability for PFAS discharges that comply with an NPDES permit.
• Residents and customers of public water systems: may benefit from safer drinking water due to PFAS investigations and remediation.

Key Provisions

• Adds Section 22-23-47.1 requiring the board to investigate PFAS after a complaint and identify potentially responsible persons.
• Creates a right of action for the department, an affected public water system, or the Attorney General to sue potentially responsible persons to recover remediation costs, actual damages, and equitable relief.
• Establishes strict liability for persons found responsible for PFAS contamination; exempts certain owners/operators from liability for PFAS discharges that comply with a valid NPDES permit.
• Amends Section 22-23-31 to define PFAS and related terms and updates references to applicable drinking water regulations.
• Adds nonsubstantive technical revisions to update code language to the current style and sets an effective date of October 1, 2025.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 22, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.

Subjects

Consumer Protection