AN
ACT Relating to revising the definition of public water system to include
systems providing water through constructed conveyances, in conformance with
federal law; amending RCW 70.119A.020; and creating a new section.
BE IT
ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
NEW
SECTION. Sec. 1. The
legislature finds and declares that the provision of safe and reliable water
supplies is essential to public health and the continued economic vitality of
the state of Washington. Maintaining the authority necessary to ensure safe
and reliable water supplies requires that state laws conform with the
provisions of the federal safe drinking water act. It is the intent of the
legislature that the definition of public water system be amended to reflect
recent amendments to the federal safe drinking water act.
Sec.
2. RCW
70.119A.020 and 1994 c 252 s 2 are each amended to read as follows:
Unless
the context clearly requires otherwise, the following definitions apply
throughout this chapter:
(1)
"Department" means the department of health.
(2)
"Local board of health" means the city, town, county, or district
board of health.
(3)
"Local health jurisdiction" means an entity created under chapter
70.05, 70.08, or 70.46 RCW which provides public health services to persons
within the area.
(4)
"Public water system" means any system, excluding a system serving
only one single-family residence and a system with four or fewer connections
all of which serve residences on the same farm, providing ((piped))
water for human consumption through pipes or other constructed conveyances,
including any collection, treatment, storage, or distribution facilities under
control of the purveyor and used primarily in connection with the system; and
collection or pretreatment storage facilities not under control of the purveyor
but primarily used in connection with the system, including:
(a)
Any collection, treatment, storage, and distribution facilities under control
of the purveyor and used primarily in connection with such system; and
(b)
Any collection or pretreatment storage facilities not under control of the
purveyor which are primarily used in connection with such system.
(5)
"Order" means a written direction to comply with a provision of the
regulations adopted under RCW 43.20.050(2)(a) or 70.119.050 or to take an
action or a series of actions to comply with the regulations.
(6)
"Purveyor" means any agency or subdivision of the state or any
municipal corporation, firm, company, mutual or cooperative association,
institution, partnership, or person or any other entity, that owns or operates
a public water system. It also means the authorized agents of any such
entities.
(7)
"Regulations" means rules adopted to carry out the purposes of this
chapter.
(8)
"Federal safe drinking water act" means the federal safe drinking
water act, 42 U.S.C. Sec. 300f et seq., as now in effect or hereafter amended.
(9)
"Area-wide waivers" means a waiver granted by the department as a
result of a geographically based testing program meeting required provisions of
the federal safe drinking water act.
(10)
"Local health officer" means the legally qualified physician who has
been appointed as the health officer for the city, town, county, or district
public health department.
(11)
"Person" includes, but is not limited to, natural persons, municipal
corporations, governmental agencies, firms, companies, mutual or cooperative
associations, institutions, and partnerships. It also means the authorized
agents of any such entities.
(12)
"Public health emergency" means a declaration by an authorized health
official of a situation in which either illness, or exposure known to cause
illness, is occurring or is imminent.
(13)
"Secretary" means the secretary of the department of health.
(14)
"State board of health" is the board created by RCW 43.20.030.
