2019 -- S 0820

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LC002108

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2019

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO WATERS AND NAVIGATION - PUBLIC DRINKING WATER SUPPLY

SYSTEM PROTECTION

     

     Introduced By: Senators Euer, Goldin, and Bell

     Date Introduced: April 30, 2019

     Referred To: Senate Environment & Agriculture

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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     SECTION 1. Sections 46-15.3-5.1 and 46-15.3-7.5 of the General Laws in Chapter 46-

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15.3 entitled "Public Drinking Water Supply System Protection" are hereby amended to read as

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follows:

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     46-15.3-5.1. Water supply systems management plans.

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     (a) All parties involved in the supply, transmission, and/or distribution of drinking water

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shall prepare, maintain, and carry out a water supply system management plan as described by

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this chapter. This requirement applies, without limitations, to:

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     (1) All municipalities subject to chapter 22.2 of title 45, the Comprehensive Planning and

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Land Use Regulation Act. The executive summary of the water supply system management plan

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including the demand management goals and plans for water conservation and efficient use of

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water, of any water supplier providing service in any municipality, shall be incorporated in the

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services and facilities element of the plan for that municipality required by subdivision 45-22.2-

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6(6);

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     (2) All municipalities, municipal departments and agencies, districts, authorities or other

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entities engaged in or authorized to engage in the supply, treatment, transmission, or distribution

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of drinking water on a wholesale or retail basis, referred to herein as "water suppliers", which

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obtain, transport, purchase, or sell more than fifty million (50,000,000) gallons of water per year.

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     (b) A water supply system management plan shall be prepared in the format, and shall

 

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address each of the topics, listed in this section, to the extent that each is relevant to the

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municipality or water supplier, the water source(s), the water system(s), and the area served or

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eligible to be served. Notwithstanding any other provisions of this chapter, water supply

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management plans shall be in conformity with all applicable provisions of the Federal Safe

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Drinking Water Act [42 U.S.C. § 300f et seq.], chapter 13 of this title, Public Drinking Water

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Supply, and chapter 14 of this title, Contamination of Drinking Water, as administered by the

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department of health. Any other topic of interest may be included.

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     (c) A water supply system management plan shall include, without limitation, the

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following components:

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     (1) The water supply management component of the water supply system management

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plan shall include, without limitation:

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     (i) A statement of the goals that the plan is designed to achieve, including, but not limited

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to, goals for:

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     (A) Water resource protection;

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     (B) Demand management, which shall include goals as appropriate for managing peak

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and seasonal use of water; and

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     (C) Supply development as necessary and with consideration of source water availability;

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and

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     (D) System management, including system safety, resilience and reliability, infrastructure

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maintenance, repair, and reduction of leakage.

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     (ii) A description of the water system(s) covered, including sources of water, the service

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area, present and anticipated future users, and other important characteristics;

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     (iii) Data collection in a form that can be accepted directly into the Rhode Island

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Geographic Information System;

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     (iv) Demand management measures that will achieve a high level of efficiency in the use

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of a limited resource, through the application of metering of one hundred percent (100%) of the

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water used; sanitary device retrofit; performance of and compliance with water use audits for

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major industrial, commercial, institutional, governmental, agricultural and other outdoor water

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users; education and information; and use of appropriate fees, rates, and charges to influence use

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demand management measures shall include such restrictions on use; as may be necessary to

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meet or exceed targets for water use, including seasonal use, that are established by the water

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resources board; and the water resources board is hereby expressly directed and authorized to

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establish and maintain no later than July 31, 2010, by rule targets for water use and methods for

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achieving the targets, which shall as appropriate take into account differing conditions among

 

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watershed and water supply areas;

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     (v) System management measures to insure that the following elements are optimally

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operated and maintained, including: leak detection and repair; meter installation and replacement;

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and frequency of reading meters. Maintenance or reduction of leakage to stated goals shall be

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considered an essential component of system management;

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     (vi) Supply management measures to insure present and future availability of drinking

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water in adequate quantity and quality, including protection of the capacity and quality of

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drinking water sources; retaining water sources for standby or future use that are or can be

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improved to drinking water quality; reactivation of any water sources not in use; interconnection

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of systems for ongoing, standby, or emergency use; supply augmentation;

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     (vii) Emergency management, including risk assessment; responses to temporary or

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permanent loss of supplies due to natural or manmade causes; extraordinary treatment processes;

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interruptions in the delivery system; and contamination of water sources or delivery systems;

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     (viii) The water supply system management plans of water suppliers shall document that

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coordination has been accomplished with those plans of other suppliers in the vicinity and with

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operators of wastewater treatment and disposal facilities serving all or part of the same area or

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that a good faith effort to do so has been made. Plans shall be consistent with applicable local

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comprehensive plans and shall be integrated into the water supply plans of the municipality or

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municipalities in which the service area is or is planned to be located. Conversely, the local

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comprehensive plans shall be consistent with water supply plans;

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     (ix) Water supply system management plans shall designate the person or organization

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responsible for taking each action, others who must participate, and the time period in which each

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action is to be taken. The capital, operating, and maintenance cost (if any) of each action shall be

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estimated and the anticipated source of funds shall be identified;

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     (x) Water suppliers subject to this chapter shall utilize methods to implement

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management measures necessary to achieve the findings, intent, and objectives of this chapter.

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The water supplier may be required to document the validity or effectiveness of any management

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measure, implementation method, or other provision or action included in its plan.

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     (2) The water quality protection component of the water supply system management plan

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shall include, without limitations, those items enumerated in § 46-15.3-7.

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     (3) The leak detection and repair component of the water supply system management

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plan shall include, without limitation:

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     (i) Methodology for leak detection;

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     (ii) Detailed program for the conducting of required repairs to the water supply system;

 

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     (iii) Impact assessment studies on the ability of the supplier to provide for peak demand

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services;

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     (iv) A priority list of actions for implementing these management measures;

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     (v) Every supplier of public water encompassed under this section shall conduct periodic

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leak detection consistent with stated goals for leakage, however no less frequently than once

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every ten (10) years.

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     46-15.3-7.5. Completion and filing of water supply system management plans.

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     (a) Each party required by this chapter to prepare and maintain a water supply system

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management plan shall complete and adopt an initial plan adhering to the schedule as previously

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approved by the water resources board.

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     (b) Municipalities and water suppliers subject to the requirements of § 46-15.3-5.1 of this

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chapter shall file a copy of all plans and amendments thereto with the water resources board. The

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plans shall be treated as confidential documents.

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     (c) The water resources board shall establish procedures that permit parties that review

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the plans under rules adopted by the water resources board to obtain sensitive information

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essential to performance of their reviews, including minimum measures necessary to transmit,

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use, store, and maintain such sensitive information under conditions that insure its security to the

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maximum possible. These procedures may include designation of those persons within each

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reviewing agency authorized to use or inspect sensitive information, and exclusion of all others.

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An executive summary containing an:

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     (1) Introduction;

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     (2) Background;

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     (3) A general system description containing:

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     (i) Water supply sources;

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     (ii) Water treatment facilities;

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     (iii) Storage facilities;

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     (iv) Pumping stations;

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     (v) Raw water and finished water transmission facilities;

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     (vi) Distribution facilities including low to high service;

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     (vii) Planned extensions;

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     (viii) Interconnections;

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     (ix) Populations served and projections;

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     (x) Major users;

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     (xi) Metering;

 

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     (xii) Legal agreements;

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     (xiii) Leakage;

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     (xiv) Demand management;

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     (xv) Supply management;

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     (xvi) Available water;

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     (xvii) Safe yield;

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     (xviii) Anticipated future demands;

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     (xix) Capital improvement;

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     (xx) Rate structure;

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     (xxi) Financial management;

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     (xxii) Emergency management;

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     (xxiii) Water supply source protection; and

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     (xxiv) General policies shall be developed.

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     (4) This summary shall be distributed as the public document. The water resources board

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shall be authorized to recover and secure water supply management plans and water supply

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system management plans previously distributed to other than water resources board and

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designated review agencies and replaced by executive summaries as provided herein.

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     (d) Municipalities and water suppliers subject to § 46-15.3-5.1 shall review their plans at

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least once every five (5) years, and shall amend or replace their plan as may be necessary to

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conform with the provisions of § 46-15.3-5.2 to remain current.

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     (e) A municipality or water supplier subject to § 46-15.3-5.1 of this chapter may request,

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in writing, that the water resources board extend the time in which to complete and submit filings

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required by this chapter, not to exceed one year. A request shall be approved only upon

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demonstration that an extension is justified by extraordinary circumstances beyond the control of

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the municipality or water supplier. An extension, if approved, shall not waive any of the

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requirements of § 46-15.3-7.6. This provision does not apply to the section on emergency

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management. Should a municipality or water supplier fail to submit a filing as provided herein, a

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determination of non-compliance shall be made by the water resources board.

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     SECTION 2. Chapter 46-15.3 of the General Laws entitled "Public Drinking Water

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Supply System Protection" is hereby amended by adding thereto the following section:

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     46-15.3-5.2. Water security.

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     (a) This section shall be known and may be cited as the "water security act of 2019."

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     (b) Purposes of this section are as follows:

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     (1) To secure to all of the people of the state access to safe drinking water for their

 

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household and their daily use, and as necessary to providing for their health and welfare and

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preserving their right to the enjoyment of the natural resources of the state;

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     (2) To ensure:

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     (i) That income is not a determinant of access to safe drinking water;

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     (ii) That the full costs of maintaining drinking water supply systems are taken into

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account;

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     (iii) That drinking water supply systems costs are not increased except as necessary to

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provide for infrastructure and system improvements to ensure high water quality to persons using

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the system for water supply, and to ensure the well-being of the ecosystem and the natural

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environment; and

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     (iv) That increases in system costs are equitably allocated to system users; and

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     (3) To address constructively global warming and climate change issues as those have a

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bearing on the reliability, resilience, and costs of water supply systems serving diverse

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communities in the state, and taking into account, as appropriate, social and economic as well as

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environmental impacts.

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     (c) Maintenance of water supply system management plans.

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     (1) The water resources board, in consultation with Rhode Island infrastructure bank, the

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department of health, the department of environmental management, the division of statewide

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planning, and the division of public utilities, shall, by May 1, 2020, promulgate guidelines for

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maintaining water supply system management plans, which guidelines shall include, but not be

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limited to, requirements for system improvements necessary to address immediate and long-term

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risks to public health and to provide for overall system resilience in the face of climate change

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risks, including sea level rise, flooding, higher precipitation levels, droughts, and heat impacts.

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The development of the guidelines shall provide for community input, consistent with principles

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of environmental justice. For purposes of this section, "environmental justice" is defined as the

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fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people regardless of race, color, national origin,

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or income, with respect to the development, implementation, and enforcement of environmental

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laws, regulations, and policies with the goal that everyone enjoys the same degree of protection

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from environmental and health hazards, and equal access to the decision-making process to have

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a healthy environment in which to live, learn, and work. The guidelines shall include mandatory

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provisions pertaining to development of cost estimates for such system improvements. The

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guidelines shall provide for exemptions for water suppliers that have issued, since January 1,

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2017, updated water supply management plans that substantially address the matters required to

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be considered in the guidelines.

 

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     (2) All water suppliers, as defined in § 46-15.3-5.1(a)(2), except as exempted as provided

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for in subsection (c)(1) of this section, shall prepare and submit to the water resources board by

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June 1, 2022, an updated water supply system management plan consistent with the guidelines,

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for review under the provisions of this chapter.

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     (3) The Rhode Island infrastructure bank, in consultation with the water resources board,

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the department of health, the department of environmental management, the division of statewide

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planning, and the division of public utilities, shall, on or before January 1, 2023, report its

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findings and recommendations regarding:

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     (i) The costs and the benefits of implementing necessary water supply system

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improvements consistent with the guidelines; and

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     (ii) A strategy for financing the implementation of necessary water supply system

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improvements, in a manner consistent with the purposes of this section.

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     (4) The development of these findings and recommendations shall provide for

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community input, consistent with principles of environmental justice, including, but not limited

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to, public hearings in all environmental justice communities that the water supplier services.

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     (d) Moratorium on conversions in ownership:

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     (1) In order to provide adequate time for consideration of the costs of necessary water

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supply system improvements, no water supplier as defined in § 46-15.3-5.1(a)(2), may undergo a

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conversion in ownership prior to July 1, 2024. For purposes of this subsection, a "conversion in

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ownership" means any transfer by a person or persons of an ownership or membership interest or

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authority in a water supplier, or the assets of a water supplier, whether by purchase, merger,

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consolidation, lease, gift, joint venture, sale, or other disposition which results in a change of

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ownership or control. For purposes of this subsection, "person" means any individual, trust or

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estate, partnership, corporation (including associations, joint stock companies and insurance

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companies), state or political subdivision of the state or any agency or instrumentality of either

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the state or a political subdivision of the state.

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     (2) The attorney general shall establish on or before January 1, 2022, criteria and

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procedures for review of conversions of ownership of water suppliers to ensure that:

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     (i) Public use of any property taken for water supply purposes remains unimpaired;

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     (ii) Any conversion of ownership of property or improvements thereto, which were

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acquired, made or financed through charges to water uses, are equitably distributed based on the

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jurisdiction in which those water users were located;

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     (iii) The "conversion in ownership" will not result in rates, charges, or restrictions on

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usage that are unduly burdensome to water users served by the water supplier in such manner that

 

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charges do not exceed the percentage of household income appropriate to their federal poverty

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level as provided in subsection (e) of this section; and

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     (iv) The natural resources of the state are conserved.

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     (e) Equitable allocation of water supply system costs. Taking into consideration that

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housing costs for a substantial proportion of low- and moderate-income households are a high

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percentage of household income and that water use and waste water treatment charges are part of

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housing costs, the division of public utilities, in consultation with the water resources board, the

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Rhode Island infrastructure bank, the office of health and human services, and the division of

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statewide planning, shall develop by October 15, 2022, recommendations for water supply rates

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that are based on percentage of income (a PIPP or percentage of income payment), that are

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equitable, that are sufficient to finance necessary system improvements, and do not result in

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substantial housing cost increases for low- and moderate-income households. Under a PIPP, low-

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income households pay a fixed percentage of their income for utility bills. This percentage

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depends on the federal poverty level of the household, therefore, those with the highest federal

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poverty level pay the smallest percentage of their income for utility bills.

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     SECTION 3. This act shall take effect upon passage.

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N   A C T

RELATING TO WATERS AND NAVIGATION - PUBLIC DRINKING WATER SUPPLY

SYSTEM PROTECTION

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     This act would create the water security act of 2019 which would secure to all people

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across the state access to safe drinking water providing that income is not a determinant of access

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to safe drinking water, and would require certain state agencies to promulgate guidelines for

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maintaining water supply system management plans.

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     This act would take effect upon passage.

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