The bill amends the General Laws regarding public drinking water supply by introducing new provisions in Section 46-13-10 for the correction of unsafe water conditions. It mandates that if a public water supply is deemed unsafe or contaminated, the responsible party must take corrective actions within the time limits set by the director under the rules and regulations promulgated by the department of health. Failure to comply within the specified time frame can result in a civil penalty not to exceed $25,000, with each day of non-compliance constituting a separate violation.

Additionally, the bill adds Section 46-13-23, which establishes civil penalties for public water suppliers that fail to restore continuous service to at least 90% of affected customers within four hours after an unplanned outage, unless the delay is due to force majeure. The penalty is set at $250 per customer for each additional hour of delay, capped at $5,000 per customer per day. These fines will be deposited into the general fund and do not limit the recovery of other fines or damages. The director of health has the authority to adjust or waive the civil penalty based on hardship or noncompliance for reasons beyond the reasonable control of the water supplier acting in good faith.

Statutes affected:
7872: 46-13-10