Bill Text - HB667 (2020)

(New Title) relative to testing private wells.


Revision: Jan. 16, 2019, 10:18 a.m.

HB 667-FN - AS INTRODUCED

 

 

2019 SESSION

19-0722

08/06

 

HOUSE BILL 667-FN

 

AN ACT relative to testing wells before issuing a certificate of occupancy.

 

SPONSORS: Rep. Stack, Hills. 21; Rep. W. Thomas, Hills. 21; Rep. Murphy, Hills. 21; Sen. Chandley, Dist 11

 

COMMITTEE: Executive Departments and Administration

 

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ANALYSIS

 

This bill requires that well water meets water quality standards before a person may receive a certificate of occupancy for new construction.

 

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Explanation: Matter added to current law appears in bold italics.

Matter removed from current law appears [in brackets and struckthrough.]

Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.

19-0722

08/06

 

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

 

In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Nineteen

 

AN ACT relative to testing wells before issuing a certificate of occupancy.

 

Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:

 

1  New Section; New Construction; Well Testing.  Amend RSA 155-A by inserting after section 4 the following new section:

155-A:4-a  New Construction; Well Testing.

I.  When new construction is completed and the person responsible for such construction seeks a certificate of occupancy, such person shall submit a laboratory report from an accredited laboratory that demonstrates the well water on the site meets or exceeds current water quality standards in rules adopted by the department of environmental services.  If the well water does not meet such standards, in order to receive a certificate of occupancy the person shall install a water treatment system which filters contaminants to levels that meet water quality standards.  In no case shall a municipality issue a certificate of occupancy to a person who cannot demonstrate that the well water serving his or her new construction meets or exceeds current water quality standards.

II.  Violation of this section shall be a violation.

2  Effective Date.  This act shall take effect 60 days after its passage.

 

LBAO

19-0722

1/8/19

 

HB 667-FN- FISCAL NOTE

AS INTRODUCED

 

AN ACT relative to testing wells before issuing a certificate of occupancy.

 

FISCAL IMPACT:      [    ] State              [ X ] County               [ X ] Local              [    ] None

 

COUNTY:

 

 

 

 

   Revenue

$0

$0

$0

$0

   Expenditures

Indeterminable Increase

Indeterminable Increase

Indeterminable Increase

Indeterminable Increase

 

 

 

 

 

LOCAL:

 

 

 

 

   Revenue

$0

$0

$0

$0

   Expenditures

Indeterminable Increase

Indeterminable Increase

Indeterminable Increase

Indeterminable Increase

 

METHODOLOGY:

This bill requires that well water meets water quality standards before a person may receive a certificate of occupancy for new construction.  

 

The New Hampshire Municipal Association indicates this bill would require the local code enforcement official to review information not currently required, but is unlikely to result in a significant increase in municipal expenditures.  There would be no impact on municipal revenues.

 

The Department of Safety indicates there would be no impact to the Division of fire Safety because a process is already in place for building permit applications for state buildings and it would be simple to add water testing to that process.   The Department assumes there would be an indeterminable impact on county and local expenditures to ensure well water meets standards before a certificate of occupancy is issued.

 

AGENCIES CONTACTED:

New Hampshire Municipal Association and Department of Safety