The proposed legislation, General Assembly Raised Bill No. 7172, aims to amend the Sewage Right-to-Know Act by updating the timeline and methods for public notification regarding sewage spills and permitted sewage bypasses. Specifically, it repeals the previous deadline of December 1, 2021, and replaces it with a new deadline of December 1, 2026, for the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection to implement a real-time public notification system.

The bill mandates that the notification system must allow the public to receive alerts via phone, electronic mail, or text message, ensuring that these notifications are independent of any social media platforms. Furthermore, the notifications must be sent out within two hours of the department receiving reports of sewage incidents. This legislative change is intended to enhance public awareness and safety regarding sewage-related issues.