Bill > H4685

This bill amends the existing law to establish quality assurance project plan standards for the testing of water bodies and waterways for bacteria or other pollutants following a discharge from a permittee's combined sewage overflow (CSO) outfall. The bill requires the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), in consultation with the Department of Public Health, to conduct testing within a reasonable amount of time after a CSO notification, at multiple locations downstream from each CSO outfall. The bill also requires the DEP to compile the data, create a predictive model for post-CSO water quality, and require permittees with high bacteria content to develop a CSO mitigation plan. Additionally, the bill amends the existing law to require permittees to report the volume of discharge from its outfall and assist with installing accurate metering equipment.