Report Title:

Safe Drinking Water; Surface Water System Standards

Description:

Reduces acceptable levels of heterotrophic bacteria in surface water systems from 500/ml to 100/ml.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

1036

TWENTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2005

 

STATE OF HAWAII

 


 

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

relating to safe drinking water.

 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

SECTION 1. Section 340E-6, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as follows:

"§340E-6 Notification of users and department. (a) Whenever a public water system:

(1) Fails to comply with an applicable maximum contaminant level, treatment technique, or testing procedure requirement of a state primary drinking water regulation;

(2) Fails to perform monitoring required by regulations adopted by the director;

(3) Is subject to a variance granted for an inability to meet a maximum contaminant level requirement;

(4) Is subject to an exemption; or

(5) Fails to comply with the requirements of any schedule prescribed by such a variance or exemption;

the public water system shall promptly notify the department, and in the case of a violation under subsection (a)(1), the local communications media, of the conditions and the extent to which they may impose adverse effects on public health and the corrective action being taken when appropriate.

(b) Notice of any violation determined by the director as posing a serious adverse health effect as a result of short term exposure shall be given as soon as practicable, but not later than twenty-four hours after the violation.

(c) For purposes of this section, the maximum contaminant level standard for the existence of heterotrophic plate count bacteria shall be not more than one hundred bacteria colonies per milliliter in at least ninety-five per cent of the samples from the water distribution system each month for any two consecutive months. Measurements for the existence of heterotrophic plate count bacteria shall be made at the same frequency and locations at which total coliform measurements are made, unless a modified sampling schedule is approved by the director.

[(c)] (d) The director shall prescribe by rules the form, content, and manner for giving notice. The rules may contain such additional public notification requirements as the director determines are necessary to best effectuate the purpose of this chapter, including consumer confidence reports, and may also contain alternative notice requirements as allowed by the Federal Act."

SECTION 2. Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken. New statutory material is underscored.

SECTION 3. This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

INTRODUCED BY:

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