Washington State House of Representatives Office of Program Research | BILL ANALYSIS |
Environment Committee |
HB 1468
This analysis was prepared by non-partisan legislative staff for the use of legislative members in their deliberations. This analysis is not a part of the legislation nor does it constitute a statement of legislative intent. |
Brief Description: Concerning public water system operating permits.
Sponsors: Representatives Jinkins, Upthegrove, Stanford, Chandler, Tharinger and Hunt; by request of Department of Health.
Brief Summary of Bill |
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Hearing Date: 2/1/11
Staff: Courtney Barnes (786-7194).
Background:
Group A Public Water System Operating Permit Fees.
Group A public water systems have 15 or more service connections, or regularly serve 25 or more people on 60 or more days per year. Group A public water systems must apply to the Department of Health (Department) for an annual operating permit. A new permit application must be submitted upon any change in ownership of the system. Any person operating a public water system on July 28, 1991, may continue to operate the system until the Department takes final action on a permit application.
The Department may require each application to include information that is reasonable and necessary to determine that the system complies with application standards and requirements of the federal Safe Drinking Water Act and state law. The Department must act on permit applications within 120 days of receipt of the application or of any supplemental information required to complete the application.
Each application must be accompanied by an annual fee as set in statute. The current annual fees are as follows:
$25.00 for public water systems serving 15-49 service connections;
$1.50 per service connection for public water systems serving 50-3,333 service connections;
$1.50 per service connection plus $0.10 for each service connection in excess of 3,333 service connections for water systems serving 3,334-53,333 service connections; and
$10,000 for public water systems serving 53,334 or more service connections.
Satellite System Management Agency Fees.
In addition to the annual operating permit fees, the Department may charge an additional one time fee of $5.00 for each service connection in a new water system. The Department must issue one operating permit to any approved "Satellite System Management Agency," as defined by the Department. The operating permit fee for approved Satellite System Management Agencies is $1.00 per connection per year for the total number of connections under the management of the approved satellite agency.
Summary of Bill:
Group A Public Water System Operating Permit Fees.
The statutory fees for Group A public water systems operating permits are removed. The Department must adopt rules establishing categories of annual operating permit fees based on system size, complexity, and number of service connections. Fees charged must be sufficient to cover, but may not exceed, the costs to the Department of administering a program for safe and reliable drinking water. The Department may phase in the implementation of the annual fee for any group of systems provided the schedule for implementation is established by rule.
Satellite System Management Agency Fees.
The statutory fees for approved Satellite System Management Agencies operating permits are removed. Operating permit fees for approved Satellite System Management Agencies must be established by the Department by rule.
Other.
The bill removes the provision that allows a person operating a public water system on July 28, 1991, to continue operating the system until the Department takes final action on a permit application. The bill removes provisions creating a committee to create draft rules for water systems having fewer than 500 service connections.
Appropriation: None.
Fiscal Note: Requested on 1/21/11.
Effective Date: The bill takes effect 90 days after adjournment of the session in which the bill is passed.