Read the full stored bill text
Florida Senate
-
2026
CS for CS for CS for SB 1014
By
the Committees on Rules; Community Affairs; and Regulated
Industries; and Senator Mayfield
595-02925-26 20261014c3
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to the provision of municipal utility
3 service to owners outside the municipal limits;
4 amending s. 180.19, F.S.; defining terms; prohibiting
5 a municipal utility from declining to extend service
6 to properties outside its corporate limits under
7 certain circumstances; providing an exception;
8 requiring a municipal utility to expand its service to
9 an owner who makes such a request under certain
10 circumstances, subject to the utility’s service
11 requirements; requiring the municipal utility to make
12 a determination within a specified timeframe and
13 provide such determination to the owner in writing;
14 requiring the municipal utility to provide the owner
15 with specified information and to connect properties
16 in a timely manner; authorizing a municipal utility to
17 establish minimum application filing requirements;
18 authorizing owners to bring a civil action to enforce
19 the act; authorizing a prevailing owner to collect
20 certain fees and costs; requiring the court to order
21 the utility to connect a prevailing owner’s property;
22 providing construction; providing an effective date.
23
24 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
25
26 Section 1. Subsection (3) is added to section 180.19,
27 Florida Statutes, to read:
28 180.19 Use by other municipalities and by individuals
29 outside corporate limits.—
30
(3
)(a) As used in this subsection, the term:
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1. “Controlling municipality” means a municipality
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operating a utility pursuant to subsection (1) or a municipality
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that has granted a utility a privilege or franchise pursuant to
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subsection (2).
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2. “Main line” means a pipe or conduit that transports
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wastewater from, or transports potable water to, lateral lines
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serving multiple properties. The term does not include lateral
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lines, service connections, customer-owned plumbing or piping
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located on private property, or any pipe or conduit serving only
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a single property.
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3. “Municipal utility” means a water or sewer utility
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constituted on the basis of subsection (1) or subsection (2).
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4. “Owner” means a property owner or an association of
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property owners.
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5. “Property” means lots or lands, or, in the case of an
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association of property owners, the contiguous group of lots or
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lands under the association of property owners.
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6. “Sufficient capacity” means a water or sewer utility
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having, as applicable, the infrastructure, water supply, and
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managerial and financial ability to reliably meet current and
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reasonably anticipated future water demands for the treatment or
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disposal of wastewater flows while maintaining compliance with
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applicable state and federal drinking water and wastewater
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standards and requirements.
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(b) A municipal utility may not decline to extend service
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to property outside of its corporate limits on the sole basis
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that the owner refuses to assent or otherwise consent to such
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property being annexed by that municipal utility’s controlling
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municipality, unless the property is subject to an annexation
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agreement or developer agreement on or before July 1, 2026.
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(c) Upon application for service by an owner, a municipal
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utility must expand its service territory to allow an owner
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whose property is located outside of the municipal utility’s
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existing service territory to connect to the municipal utility,
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subject to the utility’s service requirements, if:
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1. The property is not within the service territory of
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another water or wastewater utility, as applicable;
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2.
The municipal utility has sufficient capacity to serve
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the property’s anticipated water or wastewater load, as
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applicable;
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3.
The property is within
1
mile of a main line of the
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municipal utility, measured by the closest property boundary
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line from such main line; and
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4.
The property owner agrees to pay all fees associated
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with connection, including
fees for
infrastructure required to
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serve the property.
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(d) Upon application by an owner pursuant to paragraph (c),
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the municipal utility must:
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1. Within 90 days after receiving the application,
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determine whether it has sufficient capacity to provide service
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to the given property. Such determination may account for any
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anticipated development on such property. The municipal utility
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shall
provide, in writing, the owner with its determination and
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the reasons for such determination.
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2. If the municipal utility has sufficient capacity to
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serve the property, provide the owner with the anticipated fees,
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charges, contributions, and any other requirements to connect
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the property to the municipal utility,
under its existing fee,
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charge, and contribution structure,
including any proportionate
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share of onsite, offsite, or systemwide improvements necessary
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to serve the property.
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3. Upon satisfaction of the requirements set forth by the
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municipal utility pursuant to subparagraph 2., including full
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payment of, or legally enforceable funding assurances for
,
all
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required capital improvements,
connect the property to its
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system in a timely manner.
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(e) A municipal utility may establish reasonable minimum
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filing requirements for an application submitted pursuant to
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paragraph (c), including:
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1. A reasonable estimate of the anticipated water and
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wastewater load for the property, including accounting for any
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anticipated development on such property;
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2. The nature of any anticipated development on such
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property; and
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3. An application fee to cover the reasonable costs
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associated with conducting the capacity determination and
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assessing anticipated fees, charges, contributions, and other
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requirements, pursuant to subparagraphs (d)1. and 2.
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(f)
If a municipal utility does not allow an owner to
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connect to such utility in violation of this subsection, the
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owner may bring a civil action to enforce this subsection in any
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court of competent jurisdiction. If the owner prevails in such
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enforcement action:
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1. The owner may recover reasonable attorney fees and court
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costs from the municipal utility; and
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2. The court shall order the municipal utility to connect
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to the owner’s property in question.
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(g)
This subsection may not be construed to prevent a
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municipal utility from collecting any rate, fee, charge, or
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contribution authorized under law, including those authorized
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pursuant to s. 180.191.
122 Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2026.