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SENATE DOCKET, NO. 143 FILED ON: 1/11/2023
SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 476
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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PRESENTED BY:
James B. Eldridge
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To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:
The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:
An Act improving municipal water infrastructure.
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PETITION OF:
NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :James B. EldridgeMiddlesex and WorcesterLindsay N. Sabadosa1st Hampshire2/1/2023Vanna Howard17th Middlesex2/1/2023 1 of 2
SENATE DOCKET, NO. 143 FILED ON: 1/11/2023
SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 476
By Mr. Eldridge, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 476) of James B. Eldridge,
Lindsay N. Sabadosa and Vanna Howard for legislation to improve municipal water
infrastructure. Environment and Natural Resources.
[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE SENATE, NO. 527 OF 2021-2022.]
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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In the One Hundred and Ninety-Third General Court
(2023-2024)
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An Act improving municipal water infrastructure.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
of the same, as follows:
1 SECTION 1. Section 3 of chapter 29C of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2016
2Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting after the word “trust”, in line 46, the following:-
3 ; (ix) to expend money in the Municipal Water Infrastructure Trust Fund pursuant to
4section 19 of chapter 29C.
5 SECTION 2. Chapter 29C of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after
6section 18 the following section:-
7 Section 19. Municipal Water Infrastructure Trust Fund
8 (a) There shall be a Municipal Water Infrastructure Trust Fund. The board shall be the
9trustee of the fund and shall expend money in the fund for municipal or regional water 2 of 2
10infrastructure projects. There shall be credited to the fund: (i) any gallon-based withdrawal
11assessment collected pursuant to subsection (b); and (ii) any interest earned on money in the
12fund. Amounts credited to the fund shall be expended by the board pursuant to subsection (b)
13without further appropriation. Money remaining in the fund at the end of a fiscal year shall not
14revert to the General Fund.
15 (b) Annually, not later than July 1, each municipality shall submit to the board the
16number of gallons of water withdrawn from that municipality’s water source in the previous
17fiscal year and an assessment of $0.70 per 1,000 gallons of water withdrawn. Not later than
18September 30, the department shall post on the department’s website the aggregate number of
19gallons from the previous fiscal year withdrawn by ratepayers within each city or town.
20 (c) The board shall: (i) proportionately distribute ¾ of the amount received from the fund
21to a city or town based on the number of gallons from the previous fiscal year that were
22withdrawn within that city or town to pay for water infrastructure projects in the city or town; (ii)
23distribute ¼ of the amount collected to the Massachusetts Clean Water Trust.
24 (d) Annually, a city or town receiving money from the Municipal Water Infrastructure
25Trust Fund shall submit a report to the commissioner of the department not later than December
2631 detailing the projects and the amount used or planned to be used for water infrastructure
27projects as described in subsection (c). The department shall compile the reports and post the
28projects and amounts of money used on the website of the department.
29 SECTION 3. The department of environmental protection shall promulgate regulations
30ensuring the security of public water systems by requiring public water systems drawing water
31from a well to completely enclose any wellhead that is part of the public water system.