Bill > A1045

Introduced Session

This bill requires every water purveyor to file quarterly and annual reports with the municipalities they service regarding the adequacy and water quality of the water furnished to its users. Specifically, the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) would require every water purveyor that owns or operates a public community water system to submit quarterly and annual reports to the governing body of each municipality within its service area to ensure that these governing bodies are provided with adequate and accurate reports regarding the developed water supply available for local water users. These quarterly reports are to include the following information: (1) the term of the allocation permit; (2) the maximum allowable diversion, expressed in terms of a daily, monthly or annual diversion; (3) the permitted allocation and the specific water sources utilized therefor; (4) whether the water purveyor has exceeded the permitted allocation during any particular time period; and (5) whether the water purveyor is seeking an increase in the water allocation due to planned development projects, and updates of the status of any such projects or applications before the DEP. The reports would also include an annual assessment by the water purveyor, based on service area planning, regarding the timeframe for the anticipated utilization of the entire water allotment in the allocation permit and the need for acquiring an additional water allotment by contract or application to the DEP therefor. Whenever a water purveyor exceeds its permitted allocation, the bill requires the water purveyor to publish a notice of this water usage in at least one newspaper circulating within the affected service area, including an explanation of conservation methods necessary to ensure the continued viability of the public water system and anticipated alternatives for the water purveyor to acquire an additional water allotment by contract or application to the department therefor. The bill also requires every water purveyor to file quarterly sampling reports with the municipalities they service regarding the water quality of the developed water supply available for its users. The compliance sampling reports are required to contain the sampling results for inorganic compounds, volatile organic compounds, synthetic organic compounds, and radionuclides, and be prepared in a format prescribed by and on forms available from the DEP. The bill directs the DEP to adopt rules and regulations to implement the requirements imposed by the bill. These rules and regulations are to specify the responsibilities of water purveyors, whether public or private, with respect to the reporting and notification requirements of the bill. In addition, the bill imposes penalties on water purveyors for violations of the provisions of the bill. A water purveyor who knowingly (1) makes any false or misleading statement on any report or notice required to be submitted under the bill, or (2) fails to submit any report or publish a notice required under the bill, would, upon conviction, be guilty of a crime of the fourth degree and would be subject to a fine of not more than $50,000 for the first offense and not more than $100,000 for the second and each subsequent offense. Lastly, the bill updates the definition section of the law and makes other technical amendments to the "Water Supply Management Act."

AI Summary

Committee Categories

Paul Kanitra (R)*,  Greg McGuckin (R)*,  Nancy Muñoz (R), 

Introduced, Referred to Assembly Environment, Natural Resources, and Solid Waste Committee (on 01/09/2024)

Official Document