H-3423.1          _______________________________________________

                                  HOUSE BILL 2381

                  _______________________________________________

State of Washington              54th Legislature             1996 Regular Session

By Representatives McMahan, Goldsmith, Hymes, Campbell, Koster, Pelesky, Hargrove, Sterk, Fuhrman, Boldt and Johnson

Read first time 01/10/96.  Referred to Committee on Health Care.

Prohibiting the addition of fluorides and certain other compounds to the public water supply system.

     AN ACT Relating to the use of fluoride and other medications or nutrients in public water systems; amending RCW 57.08.012; adding a new section to chapter 35.21 RCW; adding a new section to chapter 36.94 RCW; adding a new section to chapter 53.08 RCW; adding a new section to chapter 54.16 RCW; adding a new section to chapter 87.03 RCW; and adding a new section to chapter 70.119A RCW.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.  A new section is added to chapter 35.21 RCW to read as follows:

     A city or town may not add fluoride, any fluoride compound, or any other medication or nutrient to water in its public water supply system.

     If fluoride, or any fluoride compound, naturally occurs in water in a public water supply system owned or operated by a city or town at an average concentration of .1 parts per million or more, the city or town shall provide written notice to each household or other connection, on or before the first day of February in each year, of:  (1) The average naturally occurring concentration of fluoride or any fluoride compound in the water; and (2) a comparison of this naturally occurring concentration with the maximum concentration of fluoride or any fluoride compound that was allowed by the department of health to be added to a public water system as of January 1, 1996.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2.  A new section is added to chapter 36.94 RCW to read as follows:

     A county may not add fluoride, any fluoride compound, or any other medication or nutrient to water in its public water supply system.

     If fluoride, or any fluoride compound, naturally occurs in water in a public water supply system owned or operated by a county at an average concentration of .1 parts per million or more, the county shall provide written notice to each household or other connection, on or before the first day of February in each year, of:  (1) The average naturally occurring concentration of fluoride or any fluoride compound in the water; and (2) a comparison of this naturally occurring concentration with the maximum concentration of fluoride or any fluoride compound that was allowed by the department of health to be added to a public water system as of January 1, 1996.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3.  A new section is added to chapter 53.08 RCW to read as follows:

     A port district may not add fluoride, any fluoride compound, or any other medication or nutrient to water in its public water supply system.

     If fluoride, or any fluoride compound, naturally occurs in water in a public water supply system owned or operated by a port district at an average concentration of .1 parts per million or more, the port district shall provide written notice to each household or other connection, on or before the first day of February in each year, of:  (1) The average naturally occurring concentration of fluoride or any fluoride compound in the water; and (2) a comparison of this naturally occurring concentration with the maximum concentration of fluoride or any fluoride compound that was allowed by the department of health to be added to a public water system as of January 1, 1996.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 4.  A new section is added to chapter 54.16 RCW to read as follows:

     A public utility district may not add fluoride, any fluoride compound, or any other medication or nutrient to water in its public water supply system.

     If fluoride, or any fluoride compound, naturally occurs in water in a public water supply system owned or operated by a public utility district at an average concentration of .1 parts per million or more, the public utility district shall provide written notice to each household or other connection, on or before the first day of February in each year, of:  (1) The average naturally occurring concentration of fluoride or any fluoride compound in the water; and (2) a comparison of this naturally occurring concentration with the maximum concentration of fluoride or any fluoride compound that was allowed by the department of health to be added to a public water system as of January 1, 1996.

     Sec. 5.  RCW 57.08.012 and 1988 c 11 s 2 are each amended to read as follows:

     A water district ((by a majority vote of its board of commissioners may fluoridate the)) may not add fluoride, any fluoride compound, or any other medication or nutrient to water in its public water supply system ((of the water district.  The commissioners may cause the proposition of fluoridation of the water supply to be submitted to the electors of the water district at any general election or special election to be called for the purpose of voting on the proposition.  The proposition must be approved by a majority of the electors voting on the proposition to become effective)).

If fluoride, or any fluoride compound, naturally occurs in water in a public water supply system owned or operated by a water district at an average concentration of .1 parts per million or more, the water district shall provide written notice to each household or other connection, on or before the first day of February in each year, of:  (1) The average naturally occurring concentration of fluoride or any fluoride compound in the water; and (2) a comparison of this naturally occurring concentration with the maximum concentration of fluoride or any fluoride compound that was allowed by the department of health to be added to a public water system as of January 1, 1996.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 6.  A new section is added to chapter 87.03 RCW to read as follows:

     A irrigation district may not add fluoride, any fluoride compound, or any other medication or nutrient to water in its public water supply system.

     If fluoride, or any fluoride compound, naturally occurs in water in a public water supply system owned or operated by a irrigation district at an average concentration of .1 parts per million or more, the irrigation district shall provide written notice to each household or other connection, on or before the first day of February in each year, of:  (1) The average naturally occurring concentration of fluoride or any fluoride compound in the water; and (2) a comparison of this naturally occurring concentration with the maximum concentration of fluoride or any fluoride compound that was allowed by the department of health to be added to a public water system as of January 1, 1996.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 7.  A new section is added to chapter 70.119A RCW to read as follows:

     The operator of a public water system, owned by a person or entity other than a government, that supplies potable water to ten or more connections with an average naturally occurring concentration of fluoride or any fluoride compound of .1 parts per million or more, shall provide written notice to each household or other connection, on or before the first day of February in each year, of:  (1) The average naturally occurring concentration of fluoride or any fluoride compound in the water; and (2) a comparison of this naturally occurring concentration with the maximum concentration of fluoride or any fluoride compound that was allowed by the department of health to be added to a public water system as of January 1, 1996.

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