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Senate Co-Sponsorship Memoranda
Senate of Pennsylvania
Session of 2021 - 2022
Regular Session
MEMORANDUM
| Posted: | April 12, 2021 10:54 AM |
|---|---|
| From: | Senator Patrick J. Stefano |
| To: | All Senate members |
| Subject: | Water Quality Accountability Act |
| In the near future, I will introduce legislation establishing the Water Quality Accountability Act to ensure all Pennsylvanians receive high-quality water with meaningful oversight. The recent Florida cyber-attack, coupled with the near-collapse of a toxic wastewater reservoir, is raising the alarm and awareness over the safety and security of the nation’s water and wastewater infrastructure. While Pennsylvania has been fortunate that, to date, similar breaches and structural failures have not occurred, we cannot leave the threat to the safety, sustainability, and quality of our water and its infrastructure to chance. Unfortunately, the lack of uniform safety and sustainability standards for all water and wastewater systems has resulted in a system that chooses winners and losers. Some of our constituents are served by systems protected from cyber threats and other quality standards, while others are not. Further, depending upon how water is provided to a home or business, the quality of the water itself can vary drastically. That is why I am introducing legislation that will implement uniform safety, security, and quality standards for all water and wastewater suppliers. Additional consumer protections in the bill will include provisions addressing the accuracy of meters, which will prevent customers from being overbilled; require the filing and completion of an asset management plan by the water provider, which will increase accountability in the setting of rates and sustainability of the system; require the replacement of customer side lead service lines. I hope you will join me in co-sponsoring this legislation to ensure our constituents receive quality water. If you have any questions regarding this information, please contact Jake Gery in my office at jgery@pasen.gov. |
Introduced as SB597