HB1727: relative to monitoring perflourinated chemicals in public water supplies.

HB 1727-FN - AS INTRODUCED

2018 SESSION

18-2094

08/04

HOUSE BILL 1727-FN

AN ACT relative to monitoring perflourinated chemicals in public water supplies.

SPONSORS: Rep. Messmer, Rock. 24; Rep. McConnell, Ches. 12; Rep. Edgar, Rock. 21; Rep. Fraser, Belk. 1; Rep. T. Le, Rock. 31; Rep. McBeath, Rock. 26; Rep. P. Gordon, Rock. 29; Sen. Fuller Clark, Dist 21; Sen. Soucy, Dist 18

COMMITTEE: Resources, Recreation and Development

ANALYSIS

This bill requires public water suppliers to monitor public water supplies for perfluorinated chemicals.

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Explanation: Matter added to current law appears in bold italics.

Matter removed from current law appears [in brackets and struckthrough.]

Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.

18-2094

08/04

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Eighteen

AN ACT relative to monitoring perflourinated chemicals in public water supplies.

Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:

1 New Section; Public Water Safety; Perfluorinated Chemicals. Amend RSA 485 by inserting after section 16-d the following new section:

485:16-e Perfluorinated Chemicals. All public water systems shall be tested by the providers for perfluorinated chemicals within 18 months of the effective date of this section. If such testing indicates perfluorinated chemical levels at concentrations equal to or greater than the lowest available state standard, the provider shall test such water system once a month for perfluorinated chemicals until the department determines that levels of perfluorinated chemicals in the affected community water system have consistently tested at or below the lowest available state standard for 6 consecutive months. In such case, the department shall test the public water system every year until such water system has consistently tested at or below the lowest available state standard for 12 consecutive months.

2 Effective Date. This act shall take effect 60 days after its passage.

LBAO

18-2094

11/16/17

HB 1727-FN- FISCAL NOTE

AS INTRODUCED

AN ACT relative to monitoring perfluorinated chemicals in public water supplies.

FISCAL IMPACT: [ X ] State [ X ] County [ X ] Local [ ] None

Estimated Increase / (Decrease)

STATE:

FY 2019

FY 2020

FY 2021

FY 2022

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Funding Source:

[ ] General [ ] Education [ ] Highway [ X ] Other - Restricted Fee Revenue

COUNTY:

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LOCAL:

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METHODOLOGY:

The Department of Environmental Services states this bill requires all public water systems test for perfluorinated chemicals within 18 months of the effective date of the bill. Public water systems include community water systems, non-transient water systems and transient water systems. The Department assumes the water system would pay for initial testing. The bill would require monthly tests for community water systems with initial results exceeding the lowest state standard for perfluorinated chemicals. The Department notes, as the bill is written, this monthly requirement does not apply to transient and non-transient water systems. Community water systems would continue to test monthly until the levels of perfluorinated chemicals are at or below the standard for six consecutive months. In such cases the Department would continue to test these systems every year until the system has consistently met the standard for 12 consecutive months. The Department makes the following assumptions in considering the fiscal impact of the bill:

The lowest available state standard means standards adopted by New Hampshire and not the lowest state standard in the U.S.

When standards are exceeded, treatment must be installed or alternative sources of water which meets the standards must be utilized.

The bill states water systems shall be sampled. The Department assumes sources of water for public systems would be sampled as many systems have multiple sources and the sources can vary at any given time.

There are approximately 4,200 active sources of water for public systems that would require initial testing. Laboratory costs for the testing range from $180-$400 per sample resulting in a minimum total cost for initial testing of $756,000 (4,200 water sources x $180).

Since the initial testing would occur over and 18 month period, the sampling logistics, shipping and personnel costs can be integrated with other routine testing and such costs would be minimal.

In addition to private entities, the State, counties and municipalities own and operate public water systems. The additional cost to state, local and county governments are indeterminable because the number of water sources that would exceed the lowest standard is not known.

The cost of ongoing testing and mitigation cannot be determined as the number of sites requiring mitigation and monitoring is not known.

AGENCIES CONTACTED:

Department of Environmental Services