A BILL FOR AN ACT to amend the Indiana Code concerning property.

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide specific consequences for non-compliance or detailed reporting expectations beyond the requirement to include information in annual reports starting from 2027.

Rules for Extending Water and Wastewater Mains

This law sets rules for municipally owned utilities when they need land outside their city limits or service area to extend water or wastewater mains, including notice requirements and meeting requests.

What This Bill Does

• Requires a utility to send written notices by mail to landowners and county plan commissions if the utility needs land for extending water or wastewater mains beyond its current territory.
• Specifies that utilities must post information about proposed extension projects on their websites and counties must do the same on their websites.
• Allows landowners or county plan commissions to request meetings with the utility within 30 days of receiving a notice, and requires the utility to respond within another 30 days.
• Permits utilities to proceed with extension projects if they have met all notice requirements.
• Requires the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission (IURC) to report on delays, complaints, disputes, and actions taken related to these rules starting in 2027.

Who It Names or Affects

• Municipally owned utilities
• Landowners whose property may be affected by utility projects
• County plan commissions

Terms To Know

municipally owned utility (utility)

A water or wastewater service provider that is owned and operated by a city or town.

county plan commission

An agency in each county responsible for planning and zoning matters.

Limits and Unknowns

• The bill does not specify what happens if utilities do not follow the notice requirements.
• It is unclear how many delays, complaints, or disputes will be reported by utilities starting in 2027.
• There are no details on penalties for non-compliance with the new rules.

Official Summary Text

A BILL FOR AN ACT to amend the Indiana Code concerning property.
Extension of water or wastewater mains.

Current Bill Text

A BILL FOR AN ACT to amend the Indiana Code concerning property.

Extension of water or wastewater mains.

Provides that before a municipally owned utility (utility) may condemn land for the extension of a water main or a wastewater main that is located outside: (1) the corporate boundaries of the municipality; or (2) the existing service territory of the utility; the utility must provide, by mail, written notice to each landowner whose land is needed for the extension and to the county plan commission for the county in which the extension project is proposed. Sets forth the information that must be included in the required notices. Requires the: (1) utility to post on the utility's website; and (2) county in which the extension project is proposed to post on the county's website; certain information about the proposed extension project. Provides that a landowner or a county plan commission that receives a notice from a utility under the bill's provisions may, not later than 30 days after receiving the notice, request in writing a meeting with the utility regarding the proposed extension project. Provides that upon receiving such a request, the utility shall offer to meet with the landowner or county plan commission not later than 30 days after the utility's receipt of the request. Authorizes a utility to proceed with a proposed extension project if the utility has satisfied the bill's notice requirements. Beginning in 2027, requires the Indiana utility regulatory commission (IURC) to include in its annual report the following information with respect to the most recently concluded state fiscal year: (1) Any reported delays in an extension project that a utility attributes to any of the bill's requirements. (2) Any complaints or disputes arising under the bill's provisions that are submitted to the IURC. (3) Any action taken by the IURC with respect to any reported delays, complaints, or disputes arising under the bill's provisions.