Florida 2025 Regular Session

Florida House Bill H1187 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

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3	3	HB 1187 2025
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7	7	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
8	8	hb1187-00
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10	10	F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
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14	14	A bill to be entitled 1
15	15	An act relating to service lateral assessment and 2
16	16	rehabilitation; creating s. 403.4156, F.S.; providing 3
17	17	purpose; providing definitions; requiring all utility 4
18	18	systems to establish and maintain a comprehensive 5
19	19	condition assessment program; providing requirements 6
20	20	for such program; providing for enforcement and 7
21	21	compliance; requiring utility systems to annually 8
22	22	submit specified reports to the Department of 9
23	23	Environmental Protection; providing penalties; 10
24	24	providing for funding; providing an effective date. 11
25	25	12
26	26	WHEREAS, numerous studies, including data from the 13
27	27	Department of Environmental Protection and Water Environment 14
28	28	Federation case analyses, indicate that a substa ntial percentage 15
29	29	of infiltration and inflow into wastewater collection systems 16
30	30	originates from private -side service laterals and lack of 17
31	31	oversight and limited enforcement authority over privately owned 18
32	32	lateral segments compound this issue, and 19
33	33	WHEREAS, in the past 20 years, the state's wastewater 20
34	34	systems have spilled or improperly discharged over 2.5 billion 21
35	35	gallons of raw or partially treated sewage into the environment 22
36	36	and a significant portion reached waterways, causing 23
37	37	catastrophic environmental damage and public health threats, and 24
38	38	WHEREAS, the state is projected to exceed 3 billion gallons 25
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40	40	HB 1187 2025
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47	47	F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
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51	51	of sewage leakage since 2000, most of which can be traced back 26
52	52	to failing or leaky lateral pipelines, and 27
53	53	WHEREAS, excessive infiltration from deteriorated servic e 28
54	54	laterals frequently overloads utility treatment capacities, 29
55	55	leading to sanitary sewer overflows and environmental hazards 30
56	56	and these overflows compromise water quality, harm aquatic 31
57	57	ecosystems, and pose severe public health risks, and 32
58	58	WHEREAS, insufficient monitoring and lack of clear remedial 33
59	59	protocols for laterals have allowed structural defects and 34
60	60	infiltration and inflow sources to remain largely unaddressed, 35
61	61	and 36
62	62	WHEREAS, this act aims to rectify these deficiencies 37
63	63	through uniform inspection, public transparency, and mandatory 38
64	64	rehabilitation requirements, NOW, THEREFORE, 39
65	65	40
66	66	Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 41
67	67	42
68	68	Section 1. Section 403.4156, Florida Statutes, is created 43
69	69	to read: 44
70	70	403.4156 Florida Service Lateral Assessment and 45
71	71	Rehabilitation Act.— 46
72	72	(1) PURPOSE.—It is the purpose of this section to: 47
73	73	(a) Ensure that all utility systems, public and private, 48
74	74	deploy comprehensive inspection methods to evaluate the 49
75	75	structural integrity and infiltration and inflow risks of 50
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77	77	HB 1187 2025
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81	81	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
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84	84	F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
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86	86
87	87
88	88	service laterals from the utility mainline connection to the 51
89	89	edge of each building structure. 52
90	90	(b) Establish minimum requirements for data collection, 53
91	91	long-term archiving, and accessible reporting, thereby enhancing 54
92	92	infrastructure reliability and protecting Florid a's water 55
93	93	resources. 56
94	94	(c) Promote complete and proper structural rehabilitation 57
95	95	of service laterals, ensuring a monolithic seal at the main and 58
96	96	lateral connection point that mitigates infiltration, enhances 59
97	97	infrastructure lifecycles, ensures environmental compliance, and 60
98	98	lowers the risk of sanitary sewer overflow events. 61
99	99	(2) DEFINITIONS.—For purposes of this section, the term: 62
100	100	(a) "CCTV lateral launch camera system" means a closed -63
101	101	circuit television inspection system capable of traversing from 64
102	102	the mainline sewer into the service lateral for the purpose of 65
103	103	visual evaluation. 66
104	104	(b) "Condition assessment program" means a structured 67
105	105	inspection, data collection, and risk evaluation methodology 68
106	106	designed to identify and prioritize structural and infiltration 69
107	107	and inflow issues in sewer laterals. 70
108	108	(c) "Monolithic repair" means pipe repair or 71
109	109	rehabilitation resulting in no joints or seams, including all 72
110	110	points where the lateral connects to the structure, the 73
111	111	mainline, and any required cleanouts, ensuring a fully sealed 74
112	112	and continuous system. 75
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121	121	F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
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125	125	(d) "NASSCO LACP protocols" means the National Association 76
126	126	of Sewer Service Companies' Lateral Assessment Certification 77
127	127	Program guidelines for standardized inspection, coding, and 78
128	128	condition rating of sewer laterals. 79
129	129	(e) "Pipeline severity score" means a composite condition 80
130	130	rating applied to each lateral pipeline after a proper 81
131	131	assessment under NASSCO LACP protocols which includes both of 82
132	132	the following: 83
133	133	1. The pipe rating index score. 84
134	134	2. The likelihood of failure score. 85
135	135	(f) "Service lateral" or "lateral" means the underground 86
136	136	sewer pipeline that connects a property or building to a 87
137	137	utility's mainline sewer pipe. The term includes the entire 88
138	138	length of the lateral pipe from the utility system's mainline 89
139	139	sewer to the edge of the building structure, and not just up to 90
140	140	the property line or utility easement. 91
141	141	(g) "Utility system" means a government agency, a 92
142	142	municipality, a private utility entity, or an entity under 93
143	143	contract with such agencies or entities that owns, operates, or 94
144	144	maintains sewer infrastructure in this state. 95
145	145	(3) CONDITION ASSESSMENT PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS. — 96
146	146	(a) Every utility system operating within this state shall 97
147	147	establish and maintain a comprehensive condition assessment 98
148	148	program for all service laterals un der its jurisdiction. 99
149	149	1. This paragraph applies uniformly to all utility 100
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151	151	HB 1187 2025
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155	155	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
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158	158	F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
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162	162	systems, regardless of public or private ownership, size, or 101
163	163	service area. 102
164	164	2. If a utility system chooses not to conduct the 103
165	165	condition assessment program assessments directly, it may 104
166	166	contract the assessments to a reputable licensed entity. The 105
167	167	assessments must be performed by a certified general contractor 106
168	168	who also holds either a certified plumbing license or an 107
169	169	underground utility license. All contractors and technicians 108
170	170	performing assessments must be certified by the NASSCO Pipeline 109
171	171	Assessment Certification Program, Lateral Assessment 110
172	172	Certification Program, or Manhole Assessment Certification 111
173	173	Program to ensure quality and consistency with industry 112
174	174	standards. 113
175	175	(b) Each service lat eral within the utility system shall 114
176	176	be inspected at least once every 7 years. 115
177	177	1. Inspections shall include a full assessment from the 116
178	178	mainline sewer connection point to the edge of the building 117
179	179	structure. 118
180	180	2. Utilities must develop and maintain a proac tive 119
181	181	schedule ensuring that 100 percent of all service laterals are 120
182	182	inspected within each 7 -year cycle. 121
183	183	3. CCTV lateral launch camera systems shall be used to 122
184	184	perform all inspections. 123
185	185	4. All inspections must follow the NASSCO LACP protocols, 124
186	186	including standardized coding and condition ratings. 125
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192	192	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
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195	195	F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
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199	199	(c)1. Each service lateral must be assigned a unique pipe 126
200	200	identification or asset identification number which shall appear 127
201	201	on all corresponding condition assessment documentation and 128
202	202	inspection reports. This uni que identifier must be compatible 129
203	203	with and easily integrable into any existing geographic 130
204	204	information system (GIS) or asset management database maintained 131
205	205	by the utility system. 132
206	206	2. Each lateral shall receive a pipeline severity score 133
207	207	indicating any obser ved or potential structural defects, 134
208	208	infiltration, or inflow concerns. 135
209	209	(d) All inspection videos, reports, condition ratings, and 136
210	210	supplementary data shall be recorded and retained in a secure, 137
211	211	cloud-based platform. 138
212	212	1. Data shall be maintained for at le ast 2 full inspection 139
213	213	cycles, a minimum of 14 years, ensuring availability for 140
214	214	regulatory review and historical reference. 141
215	215	2. Condition assessment data must be maintained in a 142
216	216	publicly accessible database for properties where defective, 143
217	217	damaged, or deteriorated service laterals are identified. For 144
218	218	each property, the database shall include, at a minimum: 145
219	219	a. The property address. 146
220	220	b. The date of inspection. 147
221	221	c. The pipeline severity score. 148
222	222	d. The general condition summary. 149
223	223	e. The unique pipe identification or asset identification 150
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225	225	HB 1187 2025
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229	229	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
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232	232	F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
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236	236	number. 151
237	237	(e) Any lateral with a pipe rating index score above 3.5 152
238	238	or a likelihood of failure score at or above 4 must be flagged 153
239	239	for immediate consideration under the lateral monolithic repair 154
240	240	program. 155
241	241	(f) Each utility system shall establish and maintain a 156
242	242	lateral monolithic repair program. 157
243	243	1. The lateral monolithic repair program applies to any 158
244	244	service lateral identified during the condition assessment 159
245	245	program to have a pipe rating index score above 3.5 or a 160
246	246	likelihood of failure score at or above 4. These laterals are 161
247	247	deemed to have a detrimental effect on the utility system's 162
248	248	capacity and are at high risk for infiltration and inflow events 163
249	249	likely to contribute to sanitary sewer overflows, env ironmental 164
250	250	damage, and public health threats. 165
251	251	2. Under the lateral monolithic repair program, the 166
252	252	utility system must execute timely rehabilitation or replacement 167
253	253	of the flagged service laterals using non -disruptive trenchless 168
254	254	technology methods, thereby mitigating infiltration, restoring 169
255	255	structural integrity, and minimizing community impact and costs. 170
256	256	A complete seal at the main and lateral connection point must be 171
257	257	ensured to create a monolithic system that prevents infiltration 172
258	258	and extends asset lifecyc le. 173
259	259	3. For any lateral placed into the lateral monolithic 174
260	260	repair program, rehabilitation must be completed within 12 175
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262	262	HB 1187 2025
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266	266	CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
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269	269	F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
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273	273	months from the date the issues are discovered. The 176
274	274	rehabilitation work must be performed by a certified general 177
275	275	contractor who also hold s either a certified plumbing or 178
276	276	underground utility license. 179
277	277	a. A two-way cleanout must be installed at the property 180
278	278	and utility easement line to facilitate future inspections and 181
279	279	minimize further disruptions. 182
280	280	b. A seamless, single -piece lateral connection seal must 183
281	281	be installed at the main -lateral connection point to fully close 184
282	282	the annular space. This seal may not rely on any additional 185
283	283	mechanical means such as hydrophilic gaskets. 186
284	284	c. The service lateral itself must be rehabilitated to 187
285	285	create a fully monolithic system from the mainline sewer to the 188
286	286	structure, bonded to the host pipe for maximum structural 189
287	287	durability and longevity. All materials used shall have a 190
288	288	minimum life expectancy of 50 years and comply with American 191
289	289	Society for Testing and Mat erials standards governing cured -in-192
290	290	place pipe in alignment with the Florida Building Code. 193
291	291	(4) ENFORCEMENT, COMPLIANCE, REPORTS. — 194
292	292	(a) The department or any successor agency shall implement 195
293	293	and enforce this section. 196
294	294	(b) Utility systems shall submit a nnual compliance reports 197
295	295	to the department detailing progress toward meeting inspection 198
296	296	schedules, summary of condition findings, and any follow -up 199
297	297	actions, particularly under the lateral monolithic repair 200
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306	306	F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
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310	310	program, for at-risk laterals. 201
311	311	(5) PENALTIES.— 202
312	312	(a) Utility systems found to be noncompliant with any 203
313	313	provision of this section may be subject to administrative 204
314	314	fines, notices of violation, or other enforcement measures 205
315	315	deemed appropriate by the department. 206
316	316	(b) Continued noncompliance may result in e scalated 207
317	317	penalties, including, but not limited to, suspension of certain 208
318	318	operational permits and eligibility for state funding or grants. 209
319	319	(6) INCENTIVES.—The state may establish incentive 210
320	320	programs, grants, or matching funds to support utility systems 211
321	321	in developing or enhancing their condition assessment programs 212
322	322	and monolithic repair efforts. 213
323	323	(7) FUNDING.—State or local funds allocated for 214
324	324	environmental preservation or protection of water quality are 215
325	325	permitted to be applied to this program in order to e xpedite 216
326	326	sewer system improvements and reduce infiltration and inflow 217
327	327	impacts. 218
328	328	Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2025. 219