The bill, HB 1275, also proposes a five-year moratorium on the agricultural use of sludge, highlighting the ongoing debate between the benefits of using sludge as fertilizer and the potential health risks associated with PFAS contamination.

A massive pipe leak has surged 243 million gallons of wastewater into the Potomac river. Cliff Owen/AP hide caption It could now take months to repair a broken sewer pipe that pumped millions of gallons of wastewater into the Potomac River about 8 miles from the White House.

More than a week after part of a major D. C. Water sewage pipeline collapsed, causing more than 200 million gallons of untreated wastewater to spill into the Potomac River, concerns are rising about the impact on wildlife and experts warn that the cleanup and emergency repair costs will likely be several million dollars.