House Bill No. 534 amends the Montana Code Annotated (MCA) to allow eligible county water and/or sewer districts to connect to water or wastewater systems beyond their rated capacity, contingent upon having an approved development plan. The bill introduces new definitions, particularly for "eligible county water and/or sewer district," which must now be incorporated under specific statutes, comply with discharge permitting requirements, and employ or retain a professional engineer. It also clarifies the responsibilities of the Department of Environmental Quality in overseeing these systems and sets conditions for authorizing additional connections.

Furthermore, the bill mandates that municipalities or eligible county water and/or sewer districts submit annual reports to demonstrate compliance with their approved development plans. It establishes criteria for the approval of these plans to ensure that any additional connections do not exceed the system's rated capacity or compromise public health and environmental safety. The legislation also includes provisions for penalties in cases of non-compliance with the approved development plan, aiming to enhance the operational flexibility of water and sewer districts while safeguarding public health and environmental standards.

Statutes affected:
LC Text: 75-6-102, 75-6-104, 75-6-130, 76-3-103, 76-3-507, 76-4-102, 76-4-120, 76-8-101
HB0534_1(1): 75-6-102, 75-6-104, 75-6-130, 76-3-103, 76-3-507, 76-4-102, 76-4-120, 76-8-101
HB0534_1(2): 75-6-102, 75-6-104, 75-6-130, 76-3-103, 76-3-507, 76-4-102, 76-4-120, 76-8-101
HB0534_1(3): 75-6-102, 75-6-104, 75-6-130, 76-3-103, 76-3-507, 76-4-102, 76-4-120, 76-8-101
HB0534_1(4): 75-6-102, 75-6-104, 75-6-130, 76-3-103, 76-3-507, 76-4-102, 76-4-120, 76-8-101
HB0534_1(5): 75-6-102, 75-6-104, 75-6-130, 76-3-103, 76-3-507, 76-4-102, 76-4-120, 76-8-101
HB0534_1: 75-6-102, 75-6-104, 75-6-130, 76-3-103, 76-3-507, 76-4-102, 76-4-120, 76-8-101
HB0534_X(1): 75-6-102, 75-6-104, 75-6-130, 76-3-103, 76-3-507, 76-4-102, 76-4-120, 76-8-101
HB0534_X(10): 75-6-102, 75-6-104, 75-6-130, 76-3-103, 76-3-507, 76-4-102, 76-4-120, 76-8-101
HB0534_X(11): 75-6-102, 75-6-104, 75-6-130, 76-3-103, 76-3-507, 76-4-102, 76-4-120, 76-8-101
HB0534_X(12): 75-6-102, 75-6-104, 75-6-130, 76-3-103, 76-3-507, 76-4-102, 76-4-120, 76-8-101
HB0534_X(2): 75-6-102, 75-6-104, 75-6-130, 76-3-103, 76-3-507, 76-4-102, 76-4-120, 76-8-101
HB0534_X(3): 75-6-102, 75-6-104, 75-6-130, 76-3-103, 76-3-507, 76-4-102, 76-4-120, 76-8-101
HB0534_X(4): 75-6-102, 75-6-104, 75-6-130, 76-3-103, 76-3-507, 76-4-102, 76-4-120, 76-8-101
HB0534_X(5): 75-6-102, 75-6-104, 75-6-130, 76-3-103, 76-3-507, 76-4-102, 76-4-120, 76-8-101
HB0534_X(6): 75-6-102, 75-6-104, 75-6-130, 76-3-103, 76-3-507, 76-4-102, 76-4-120, 76-8-101
HB0534_X(7): 75-6-102, 75-6-104, 75-6-130, 76-3-103, 76-3-507, 76-4-102, 76-4-120, 76-8-101
HB0534_X(8): 75-6-102, 75-6-104, 75-6-130, 76-3-103, 76-3-507, 76-4-102, 76-4-120, 76-8-101
HB0534_X(9): 75-6-102, 75-6-104, 75-6-130, 76-3-103, 76-3-507, 76-4-102, 76-4-120, 76-8-101
HB0534_X: 75-6-102, 75-6-104, 75-6-130, 76-3-103, 76-3-507, 76-4-102, 76-4-120, 76-8-101