The proposed bill aims to address the critical need for comprehensive information regarding the state's water and sewer systems, highlighting the environmental, public health, and economic implications of current deficiencies. It identifies several pressing issues, including inadequate public works grants for local governments, increasing contamination in residential wells, and limited financial capacity for municipalities to support economic development due to insufficient sewer access. The bill emphasizes the urgency of assessing the current state of these systems to protect public health and the environment, particularly in light of rising housing demands and the detrimental effects of pollution on local ecosystems.

To facilitate this assessment, the bill mandates a joint effort between the department and the department of health to conduct a thorough evaluation of the maintenance and upgrade needs for water and sewer systems statewide. This includes consulting with various stakeholders, reviewing successful projects from other states, and reporting findings to the governor and legislative committees every two years. The assessment will encompass a consolidated database of systems requiring upgrades, cost analyses for necessary improvements, and potential funding strategies to ensure that infrastructure needs are met effectively.