SENATE ENVIRONMENT AND ENERGY COMMITTEE

STATEMENT TO

SENATE, No. 830

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED:  DECEMBER 10, 2020

      The Senate Environment and Energy Committee favorably reports Senate Bill No. 830. 

      This bill would supplement the “Safe Drinking Water Act,” P.L.1977, c.224 (C.58:12A-1 et seq.), to allow customers of a public water system that has exceeded the action level for lead or copper to request to have their drinking water tested for the presence of lead or copper by the public water system.  The public water system would be required to include a notice on its customers' bills that advertises the availability of the water tests. 

      The bill would also allow customers to request to have their drinking water tested when a public water system carries out a partial service line replacement on their lead service line.  The customer would have six months after the completion of the partial service line replacement to make the request.  The public water system would be required to include a notice on the customer's bill that advertises the availability of the water tests.  If the test reveals an elevated lead level, the public water system would be required to notify local health officials and the municipality where the customer is located. 

      A customer would not be charged a fee for testing conducted under the bill.  A public water system that is a “public utility,” as defined in R.S.48:2-13, and that is regulated by the Board of Public Utilities pursuant to Title 48 of the Revised Statutes, would be authorized to petition the board to include in the public water system’s rate base the reasonable costs of testing provided under the bill. 

This bill was pre-filed for introduction in the 2020-2021 session pending technical review.  As reported, the bill includes the changes required by technical review, which has been performed.