The proposed bill aims to establish the Public Water Supply Reform Act of 2026 by amending several sections of the Code of West Virginia. It introduces new definitions related to public water systems, including terms such as "aboveground water storage tank," "operator," and "public water system." The bill also outlines the creation of a water level status plan for aboveground water storage tanks, which mandates that public water systems provide timely updates on tank levels, with a minimum of two updates per day for tanks without telemetry. The plan must be completed by July 1, 2028, and access to telemetry data must be granted to relevant officials and emergency management personnel.

Additionally, the bill emphasizes transparency and communication within public water systems. It requires these systems to submit quarterly operational and financial reports to their governing bodies and participate in Open Checkbooks. In cases where five or more formal complaints are filed against a public water system per 1,000 customers in a quarter, a forensic audit will be mandated. Furthermore, public service districts are required to designate a specific officer for public communication and to provide timely updates to customers during service disruptions, utilizing various communication platforms to ensure effective information dissemination.

Statutes affected:
Introduced Version: 22-31-2, 22-31-3, 22-31-4, 22-31-5