Senate Bill 769 aims to enhance the Safe Drinking Water Loan Program (SDWLP) by significantly increasing the state's bonding authority for lead service line replacement projects. Currently, the state can contract up to $74,950,000 in public debt for the SDWLP, but this bill proposes to raise that limit by an additional $200,000,000. The bill mandates that the Department of Administration (DOA) allocate up to $200,000,000 of this authorized public debt specifically for projects that provide forgivable loans to private users of public water systems, covering up to 50% of the costs associated with replacing lead service lines.

Additionally, the bill introduces new legal language that emphasizes the public health risks posed by lead service lines and establishes a public policy to assist in their replacement. The amendments to the statutes reflect these changes, including the increase in the bonding authority from $71,400,000 to $274,950,000 for the SDWLP. This legislative effort underscores the state's commitment to improving drinking water safety and addressing public health hazards associated with lead contamination.

Statutes affected:
Bill Text: 20.866(2)(td), 20.866