Safe drinking water grants

AN ACT Relating to creating a safe drinking water grant program 1
for economically distressed communities; amending RCW 43.20.050; 2
adding a new section to chapter 70A.125 RCW; and creating a new 3
section. 4
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:5
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. The provision of safe drinking water is of 6
great importance to protect the health of the people of Washington 7
state. The grant program created under this act provides an avenue 8
for safe, clean, affordable, and accessible water to economically 9
distressed communities and offsets the costs to ratepayers in these 10
communities.11
Sec. 2. RCW 43.20.050 and 2021 c 65 s 37 are each amended to 12
read as follows: 13
(1) The state board of health shall provide a forum for the 14
development of public health policy in Washington state. It is 15
authorized to recommend to the secretary means for obtaining 16
appropriate citizen and professional involvement in all public health 17
policy formulation and other matters related to the powers and duties 18
of the department. It is further empowered to hold hearings and 19
explore ways to improve the health status of the citizenry.20
H-1433.1
HOUSE BILL 2010
State of Washington 69th Legislature 2025 Regular Session
By Representatives Manjarrez, Mendoza, Dufault, Corry, Dent, Keaton,
Griffey, Chase, Walsh, Barkis, and Pollet
Read first time 02/21/25. Referred to Committee on Environment &
Energy.
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In fulfilling its responsibilities under this subsection, the 1
state board may create ad hoc committees or other such committees of 2
limited duration as necessary. 3
(2) In order to protect public health, the state board of health 4
shall: 5
(a) Adopt rules for group A public water systems, as defined in 6
RCW 70A.125.010, necessary to assure safe and reliable public 7
drinking water and to protect the public health. Such rules shall 8
establish requirements regarding: 9
(i) The design and construction of public water system 10
facilities, including proper sizing of pipes and storage for the 11
number and type of customers; 12
(ii) Drinking water quality standards, monitoring requirements, 13
and laboratory certification requirements; 14
(iii) Public water system management and reporting requirements;15
(iv) Public water system planning and emergency response 16
requirements; 17
(v) Public water system operation and maintenance requirements;18
(vi) Water quality, reliability, and management of existing but 19
inadequate public water systems; and 20
(vii) Quality standards for the source or supply, or both source 21
and supply, of water for bottled water plants; 22
(b) Adopt rules as necessary for group B public water systems, as 23
defined in RCW 70A.125.010. The rules shall, at a minimum, establish 24
requirements regarding the initial design and construction of a 25
public water system. The state board of health rules may waive some 26
or all requirements for group B public water systems with fewer than 27
five connections; 28
(c) Adopt rules and standards for prevention, control, and 29
abatement of health hazards and nuisances related to the disposal of 30
human and animal excreta and animal remains; 31
(d) Adopt rules controlling public health related to 32
environmental conditions including but not limited to heating, 33
lighting, ventilation, sanitary facilities, and cleanliness in public 34
facilities including but not limited to food service establishments, 35
schools, recreational facilities, and transient accommodations;36
(e) Adopt rules for the imposition and use of isolation and 37
quarantine; 38
(f) Adopt rules for the prevention and control of infectious and 39
noninfectious diseases, including food and vector borne illness, and 40
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rules governing the receipt and conveyance of remains of deceased 1
persons, and such other sanitary matters as may best be controlled by 2
universal rule; and 3
(g) Adopt rules for accessing existing databases for the purposes 4
of performing health related research. 5
(3) The state board shall adopt rules for the design, 6
construction, installation, operation, and maintenance of those 7
on-site sewage systems with design flows of less than ((three 8
thousand five hundred)) 3,500 gallons per day. 9
(4) The state board may delegate any of its rule-adopting 10
authority to the secretary and rescind such delegated authority.11
(5) All local boards of health, health authorities and officials, 12
officers of state institutions, police officers, sheriffs, 13
constables, and all other officers and employees of the state, or any 14
county, city, or township thereof, shall enforce all rules adopted by 15
the state board of health. In the event of failure or refusal on the 16
part of any member of such boards or any other official or person 17
mentioned in this section to so act, he or she shall be subject to a 18
fine of not less than ((fifty dollars )) $50, upon first conviction, 19
and not less than ((one hundred dollars )) $100 upon second 20
conviction. 21
(6) The state board may advise the secretary on health policy 22
issues pertaining to the department of health and the state.23
(7) The state board shall maintain and enforce all drinking water 24
standards as required by applicable federal standards pursuant to 42 25
U.S.C. Sec. 200f et seq., in addition to those required by state law 26
under this chapter and chapter 70A.100 RCW.27
NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. A new section is added to chapter 70A.125 28
RCW to read as follows: 29
(1) Subject to the availability of amounts appropriated for this 30
specific purpose, the department shall provide financial assistance 31
through a safe drinking water grant program for economically 32
distressed communities, hereby created. 33
(2) Any public water system as defined in RCW 70A.125.010 that: 34
(a) Is located in an economically distressed community; and (b) does 35
not meet state drinking water standards under chapter 43.20 or 36
70A.125 RCW is eligible. 37
(3) All financing provided through the program must be in the 38
form of grants to eligible public water systems to build, repair, 39
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consolidate, and redesign infrastructure. Grants must cover capital 1
improvements, in addition to planning grants that increase public 2
health and compliance with drinking water regulations.3
(a) Public water systems seeking planning grants under this 4
section must provide a brief statement describing existing drinking 5
water quality conditions, public water system and site deficiencies, 6
and financial constraints, as well as other materials as required by 7
the department. 8
(b) Public water systems seeking construction grants under this 9
section must have: (i) Received and completed a planning grant under 10
(a) of this subsection; or (ii) completed construction documents 11
including drawings, specifications, total project cost estimates, 12
contract and procurement requirements, in addition to a brief 13
statement describing existing drinking water quality conditions, 14
public water system and site deficiencies, and financial constraints.15
(4) Before January 1, 2026, the department must develop an 16
application process and project evaluation criteria to evaluate 17
applications. Primary consideration must be given to drinking water 18
quality and financial need and prioritized accordingly.19
(5) Beginning with the 2027-2029 fiscal biennium, the department 20
must submit a prioritized list of recommended projects for funding to 21
the governor and the legislature as part of the department's biennial 22
capital budget request. The prioritized list must include a 23
description of each project and the amount of recommended state 24
funding. Priority must be given to projects with the poorest water 25
quality. 26
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