HOUSE BILL REPORT

                  HB 1212

             As Reported By House Committee On:

                  Government Administration

Title:  An act relating to the combining of water and sewer districts.

Brief Description:  Making corrections regarding combining water‑sewer districts.

Sponsors:  Representatives D. Schmidt, Scott, Mielke and Dunn.

Brief History:

Committee Activity:

Government Administration:  2/12/97, 2/21/97 [DPS].

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT ADMINISTRATION

Majority Report:  The substitute bill be substituted therefor and the substitute bill do pass.  Signed by 13 members:  Representatives D. Schmidt, Chairman; D. Sommers, Vice Chairman; Scott, Ranking Minority Member; Gardner, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Doumit; Dunn; Dunshee; Murray; Reams; Smith; L. Thomas; Wensman and Wolfe.

Staff:  Steve Lundin (786-7127).

Background:  Water districts are units of local government, initially authorized to be created in 1913, that may provide potable water facilities, sanitary sewers, drainage facilities, and street lighting.  Sewer districts are units of local government, initially authorized to be created in 1941, that may provide sanitary sewers, drainage facilities, and potable water facilities.  Sewer district laws are almost identical with water district laws.

Legislation was enacted in 1996 consolidating water district laws with sewer district laws and making a number of technical changes to these laws.  Among other changes, the term Asewer system,@ which had been defined to include both sanitary sewers and drainage systems, was altered to only apply to sanitary sewer systems and separate provisions were added for drainage systems.   These units of local government were renamed as water-sewer districts.  This legislation had a delayed effective date until July 1, 1997.

Summary of Substitute Bill:  A variety of changes are made relating to the consolidation of water district laws with sewer district laws.

The distinction between sanitary sewer systems and drainage systems, initiated in the 1996 legislation consolidating sewer district and water district statutes, is continued, and various laws are amended to make this distinction.

It is clarified that a purchase of materials, supplies, or equipment with a value of from $10,000 to less than $50,000 is made using a general vendor list process provided for a number of local governments.

References to either Awater districts@ or Asewer districts@ are altered to Awater-sewer districts.@

Substitute Bill Compared to Original Bill:  A statutory reference was corrected.  A generic reference is made to the association that water-sewer districts may form.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Not requested.

Effective Date of Substitute Bill:  The bill contains an emergency clause and takes effect on July 1, 1997.

Testimony For:  This continues efficiency and tidies up extended references.

Testimony Against:  None.

Testified:  Representative Dave Schmidt, prime sponsor; Joe Daniels, Washington Association of Sewer/Water Districts; and Steve Lindstrom, Sno-King Water District Coalition.