HB5629 98TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB098 17318 MGM 52413 b

98TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2013 and 2014
HB5629

Introduced , by Rep. Robyn Gabel

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

New Act

Creates the Water Loss Accounting Awareness Act. Provides that, before July 31, 2015, the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency, in consultation with the Department of Natural Resources, the Illinois Commerce Commission, the Illinois State Water Survey of the University of Illinois, and other local and regional water management leaders and interested parties as the Agency deems appropriate, shall submit to the General Assembly and the Governor a report that reviews and evaluates the latest available information on water loss in Illinois including existing data, policies, procedures, and institutional knowledge (including publicly available reports from the federal Environmental Protection Agency, the American Water Works Association, and the State archives). Effective immediately.

A BILL FOR

AN ACT concerning safety.

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly:

Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the Water Loss Accounting Awareness Act.

Section 5. Definitions. As used in this Act:

"Agency" means the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency.

"Water loss" means a loss in potable water within a water supply distribution infrastructure either through real losses such as pipeline leakage and water main breaks or apparent losses when consumption is not properly measured or billed such as metering inaccuracies or theft.

"Water loss control" means the efforts of water utilities to provide accountability in their operation by reliably auditing their water supplies and implementing controls to minimize system losses.

Section 10. Water loss study and report.

(a) Before July 31, 2015, the Agency, in consultation with the Department of Natural Resources, the Illinois Commerce Commission, the Illinois State Water Survey of the University of Illinois, and other local and regional water management leaders and interested parties as the Agency deems appropriate, shall submit to the General Assembly and the Governor a report that reviews and evaluates the latest available information on water loss in this State, including existing data, policies, procedures, and institutional knowledge (including publicly available reports from the federal Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA), the American Water Works Association (AWWA), and the State archives), including coverage of the following:

(1) The overall extent and cost of water loss within this State's water supply infrastructure. This should include:

(A) estimates of the volume and economic costs of water loss from water supply infrastructure;

(B) estimates of the costs associated with water infrastructure failure such as main breaks, system disruption, property damage, and expenditures for treating and pumping unused or lost water; and

(C) evaluation of the impact water loss has on other identified demands for water supply and resource management, including increasing climate-related drought, commercial and industrial demand, energy production and consumption, and related impacts.

(2) Data about current water loss practices within this State and nationally, along with information on the costs and benefits of these practices, including:

(A) a summary of the types of water loss accounting approaches used by public and private water supply utilities in this State, and identified or anticipated costs and benefits;

(B) policies, practices, and procedures in other states that have adopted regulation, standards, or guidance for water loss accounting and identified costs and benefits; and

(C) the potential costs and benefits to utilities and this State for implementing standardized water loss accounting, either by utility or utility class, for example, size.

Quantitative costs should include: cost of implementing audits, including staff training time and system upgrades, any costs to customers, and job impacts. Benefits should include elimination of system leaks and breaks, including water and treatment cost savings, energy savings from reduced pumping and treatment, and potential job creation. Analysis should also contain descriptions of qualitative costs and benefits. These may include increased system reliability, improved consumer confidence, watershed benefits from decreased pumping and treatment, increased interdepartmental cooperation in data reporting and water loss prevention efforts, and improved accountability between utilities that import or export water, due to data standardization.

(b) The study shall also provide recommendations based on these findings in relation to:

(1) Cost effective strategies to improve water loss accounting, control, and public transparency including:

(A) a summary of currently available water loss auditing methods, such as the American Water Works Association (AWWA) methodology and manual (M36); and

(B) policies and practices to improve public reporting of water loss conditions.

(2) Opportunities to accelerate State-wide adoption of water loss accounting by water utilities, including a timeline for implementation, and support that would be needed for utilities to implement a water loss accounting system.

Support does not need to be limited to State resources. The report may also recommend an external technical committee and encourage partnerships with nonprofit or civic organizations.

Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon becoming law.