To amend section 6111.041 and to enact section 6109.26 of the Revised Code to require the Director of Environmental Protection to adopt rules establishing maximum allowable contaminant levels in drinking water and water quality standards for certain contaminants.
HB815 would require the Ohio Director of Environmental Protection to adopt rules setting maximum contaminant levels for certain drinking water contaminants and water quality standards for the state’s waters. The bill specifically targets PFAS, chromium-6, and 1,4-dioxane. For PFAS, it requires separate standards for combined total PFAS, PFOA, PFOS, and any other individual PFAS the director deems necessary. The bill also directs the agency to consider standards and scientific evidence from other states, federal toxic-substances materials, and recent peer-reviewed studies when setting or updating those rules.
The bill further requires the director to ensure the standards are protective of public health, including pregnant women, nursing mothers, infants, and children, and that they are at least as stringent as applicable U.S. EPA standards or health advisories. It also requires annual review and revision of the standards based on the latest scientific research. The rules would take effect upon adoption and would be used in permitting decisions. The bill amends existing water-quality law and adds a new section to the Revised Code to create a more specific state framework for regulating these contaminants.
HB815 would expand Ohio environmental law by mandating state-level drinking water contaminant limits and surface-water quality standards for PFAS, chromium-6, and 1,4-dioxane. It would give the Director of Environmental Protection explicit rulemaking authority and impose ongoing review obligations, while also requiring the standards to meet or exceed federal EPA protections. The bill would affect public water systems, regulated dischargers, and permit decisions under Ohio water pollution control law, and it would override certain administrative rule-delay provisions for these rules.
Because the bill was only introduced and no committee votes or transcripts are available, there is no recorded legislative debate to gauge formal support or opposition. Based on the text, the measure appears to be framed as a public-health and environmental-protection bill, with an emphasis on stronger standards for emerging contaminants and vulnerable populations. The overall posture of the bill suggests a precautionary approach to drinking water safety.
The main likely points of contention are the bill’s requirement that Ohio standards be no less stringent than EPA standards, its mandate for annual review and rapid rule updates, and its focus on contaminants such as PFAS, chromium-6, and 1,4-dioxane, which can carry significant compliance and remediation costs for water systems and regulated entities. Supporters would likely emphasize public health protection and responsiveness to evolving science, while critics may raise concerns about regulatory burden, implementation costs, and the breadth of the director’s rulemaking discretion.