In a bipartisan vote, the United States Senate passed Senate Bill 914 last week.
S.B. 914, if passed by the House of Representatives, would provide more than $35 billion in funding to water systems around the country to improve their infrastructure and water quality. Much of this funding will be targeted to underserved and rural communities.
While NGWA applauds this bipartisan effort to better fund the nation’s water infrastructure, the Association also understands that with the expansion of these public water systems comes the increased threat of mandatory hookup or mandatory connection regulations in these areas.
Mandatory hookup laws and regulations come in many different forms, but the result is always the same — homeowners being forced to connect to a public pipeline and disconnect service from their water wells.
Whether through S.B. 914 or a larger infrastructure bill, increased funding for public water systems is likely going to happen. Therefore, NGWA is encouraging its members and fellow state associations to be prepared.
- Understand your local laws. Mandatory hookup laws are largely designed and implemented at the state and local levels and they vary widely. Take time to understand your local mandatory hookup ordinances and how they may be challenged.
- Be on the lookout for creative mandatory hookup laws. In recent years mandatory hookup regulations have come in a variety of forms such as being included in health codes and building permits. So, make sure you are not just reviewing local legislation or ordinances.
- Organize. Communicate with your customers and colleagues on the importance of fighting mandatory hookup laws and encourage them to be on the lookout for increased activity in their areas.
- Fight it. While litigation and legal options are available and sometimes needed, make sure you’re coordinating a grassroots effort to push back on these laws by writing to legislatures and making public comment against them.
Again, NGWA is not against increasing funding for the nation’s water infrastructure as it is badly needed. But the Association also understands it comes with certain risks to its members and their customers who could be forced off their private water wells. So, as the debate over infrastructure in Washington, D.C., continues, NGWA urges you to keep up to date with how it will impact your community and business locally.
If you are aware of or currently fighting mandatory hookup laws in your area and would like more information, contact Ben Frech, NGWA public relations and government affairs manager, at bfrech@ngwa.org.