SB 6271-S - DIGEST

(DIGEST OF PROPOSED 1ST SUBSTITUTE)

Finds that the best way to ensure that drinking water is safe in a particular school building is to test drinking and cooking water outlets such as taps, bubblers, and fountains, and to promptly correct problems where contaminant concentrations are found to exceed safe levels.

Requires that, in adopting school drinking water standards, the board shall be guided by, but not limited to, the rules for controlling these contaminants in drinking water as contained in 40 C.F.R. Sec. 141 and EPA guidance promulgated thereunder. The standards shall provide reasonable margins of safety.

Directs the board to adopt emergency rules establishing interim maximum contaminant levels and testing protocols by April 1, 2005. The board shall adopt final maximum contaminant level standards and protocols by April 1, 2006.

Declares an intent that the exclusive responsibility for undertaking corrective actions to respond to exceedances of drinking water standards in schools remains with the governing entities of the school institutions, but to ensure that sufficient testing of drinking water is conducted to identify where such exceedances are occurring and that test results are widely accessible to parents, students, staff, and to local and state health departments.

Requires the department to post on its web site the results of testing received under the standards established in this act, as well as corrective action and monitoring reports provided. Each school or school district that maintains a web site shall also post such test results and reports.

Requires the department to examine compliance with adopted standards and rules and provide a report to the appropriate committees of the legislature biennially, beginning December 1, 2006. In the report due December 1, 2010, the department shall report on the status of testing, disclosure of test results, and corrective actions taken at school facilities across the state. This report shall include any recommendations, in bill form, for legislation that would improve compliance with, or facilitate the enforcement or achievement of, school safe drinking water standards established under this act, including any needed compliance enforcement authority to be added to this act.