Water system classifications

AN ACT Relating to increasing consistency in the classifications 1
of water systems; amending RCW 70A.125.010 and 70A.125.130; and 2
declaring an emergency. 3
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:4
Sec. 1. RCW 70A.125.010 and 2020 c 20 s 1353 are each amended to 5
read as follows: 6
Unless the context clearly requires otherwise, the following 7
definitions apply throughout this chapter: 8
(1) "Area-wide waivers" means a waiver granted by the department 9
as a result of a geographically based testing program meeting 10
required provisions of the federal safe drinking water act.11
(2) "Department" means the department of health.12
(3) "Federal safe drinking water act" means the federal safe 13
drinking water act, 42 U.S.C. Sec. 300f et seq., as now in effect or 14
hereafter amended. 15
(4)(a) "Group A public water system" means a public water system 16
with ((fifteen)) 15 or more service connections, regardless of the 17
number of people; or a system serving an average of ((twenty-five)) 18
25 or more people per day for ((sixty)) 60 or more days within a 19
calendar year, regardless of the number of service connections; or a 20
H-0832.1
HOUSE BILL 1615
State of Washington 69th Legislature 2025 Regular Session
By Representative Caldier
Read first time 01/27/25. Referred to Committee on Environment &
Energy.
p. 1 HB 1615
system serving ((one thousand)) 1,000 or more people for two or more 1
consecutive days. 2
(b) A default number of people served per connection may not be 3
used to calculate the average number of people served for purposes of 4
(a) of this subsection, where such default number would cause a water 5
system that would otherwise be classified as a group B water system 6
to be classified as a group A water system.7
(5) "Group B public water system" means a public water system 8
that does not meet the definition of a group A public water system.9
(6) "Local board of health" means the city, town, county, or 10
district board of health. 11
(7) "Local health jurisdiction" means an entity created under 12
chapter 70.05, 70.08, or 70.46 RCW, which provides public health 13
services to persons within the area. 14
(8) "Local health officer" means the legally qualified physician 15
who has been appointed as the health officer for the city, town, 16
county, or district public health department. 17
(9) "Order" means a written direction to comply with a provision 18
of the regulations adopted under RCW 43.20.050(2) (a) and (b) or 19
70A.120.050 or to take an action or a series of actions to comply 20
with the regulations. 21
(10) "Person" includes, but is not limited to, natural persons, 22
municipal corporations, governmental agencies, firms, companies, 23
mutual or cooperative associations, institutions, and partnerships. 24
It also means the authorized agents of any such entities.25
(11) "Public health emergency" means a declaration by an 26
authorized health official of a situation in which either illness, or 27
exposure known to cause illness, is occurring or is imminent.28
(12) "Public water system" means any system, excluding a system 29
serving only one single-family residence and a system with four or 30
fewer connections all of which serve residences on the same farm, 31
providing water for human consumption through pipes or other 32
constructed conveyances, including any collection, treatment, 33
storage, or distribution facilities under control of the purveyor and 34
used primarily in connection with the system; and collection or 35
pretreatment storage facilities not under control of the purveyor but 36
primarily used in connection with the system, including:37
(a) Any collection, treatment, storage, and distribution 38
facilities under control of the purveyor and used primarily in 39
connection with such system; and 40
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(b) Any collection or pretreatment storage facilities not under 1
control of the purveyor which are primarily used in connection with 2
such system. 3
(13) "Purveyor" means any agency or subdivision of the state or 4
any municipal corporation, firm, company, mutual or cooperative 5
association, institution, partnership, or person or any other entity, 6
that owns or operates a public water system. It also means the 7
authorized agents of any such entities. 8
(14) "Regulations" means rules adopted to carry out the purposes 9
of this chapter. 10
(15) "Secretary" means the secretary of the department of health.11
(16) "State board of health" is the board created by RCW 12
43.20.030. 13
Sec. 2. RCW 70A.125.130 and 2009 c 495 s 6 are each amended to 14
read as follows: 15
(1) Local governments may establish separate operating permit 16
requirements for public water systems provided the operating permit 17
requirements have been approved by the department. The department 18
shall not approve local operating permit requirements unless the 19
local system will result in an increased level of service to the 20
public water system. There shall not be duplicate operating permit 21
requirements imposed by local governments and the department.22
(2) ((Local)) Except as provided in RCW 70A.125.010(4)(b), local 23
governments may establish requirements for group B public water 24
systems in addition to those established by rule by the state board 25
of health pursuant to RCW 43.20.050(2) or other rules adopted by the 26
department, provided that the requirements are at least as stringent 27
as the state requirements. 28
NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. This act is necessary for the immediate 29
preservation of the public peace, health, or safety, or support of 30
the state government and its existing public institutions, and takes 31
effect immediately.32
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