The proposed bill would amend current statutes related to water quality by allowing cities or towns with populations between 1,000 and 9,999 to conduct on-site testing of bacteriological samples using EPA-approved equipment for aquifer protection permits. This change is reflected in the new language that specifies the conditions under which these municipalities can perform such testing. Additionally, the bill prohibits the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) from requiring community water systems in counties with populations of 400,000 or fewer, serving 25 or fewer connections, to maintain a storage capacity exceeding 1,000 gallons.

Current statutes regarding public water systems and aquifer protection permits would remain largely intact, with specific deletions and insertions to clarify the new provisions. The bill also makes technical and conforming changes to existing language, ensuring that the updated regulations align with the new testing and storage capacity requirements. Overall, the bill aims to streamline water quality testing processes for smaller municipalities while easing certain regulatory burdens on community water systems.

Statutes affected:
Introduced Version: 49-241, 49-255.01, 49-250, 49-323, 35-146, 35-147, 49-210
Senate Engrossed Version: 49-241, 49-255.01, 49-250, 49-323, 35-146, 35-147, 49-210
House Engrossed Version: 45-341, 49-241, 49-255.01, 49-352, 49-353, 49-250, 49-323, 35-146, 35-147, 49-210, 49-203, 41-1028, 49-221, 49-222