Researcher: ND Page 1 4/15/25
OLR Bill Analysis
HB 7248
AN ACT CONCERNING WELL WATER QUALITY.
SUMMARY
This bill allows the Department of Public Health (DPH)
commissioner to implement policies and procedures needed to
administer laws related to cross-connections between water supplies
while in the process of adopting them as regulations. DPH must post
the policies and procedures on the e-Regulations system before
adopting them, and they are valid until final regulations are adopted.
By law, an environmental laboratory that conducts a water quality
test on a private or semipublic well must report the results to DPH and
the local health authority. With limited exceptions, the test results are
confidential, along with information obtained from any related
investigation or morbidity or mortality study. The bill adds a new
exception, specifying that DPH and the local health authority, with the
commissioner’s approval, may disclose the test results or investigation
information to the Department of Energy and Environmental
Protection. Existing law already allows disclosure to the following:
1. the property owner,
2. a prospective buyer who has signed a purchase contract,
3. a state agency’s agent, or
4. other people or entities when disclosure is needed for DPH or the
local health authority to carry out their duties under law or
regulation.
EFFECTIVE DATE: Upon passage 2025HB-07248-R000709-BA.DOCX
Researcher: ND Page 2 4/15/25
COMMITTEE ACTION
Public Health Committee
Joint Favorable
Yea 22 Nay 10 (03/28/2025)