EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MAT TER ADDED TO EXISTIN G LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
*hb0841*
HOUSE BILL 841
M3 4lr2053
By: Delegates Ruth, Allen, Charkoudian, Fair, Guyton, Healey, Kaiser, Lehman,
J. Long, Stewart, and Terrasa
Introduced and read first time: January 31, 2024
Assigned to: Environment and Transportation
A BILL ENTITLED
AN ACT concerning 1
Environment – Plastic Bottle Waste Reduction – Water Bottle Filling Stations 2
and Reporting 3
FOR the purpose of requiring that a water bottle filling station be installed in certain new 4
construction beginning on a certain date; requiring the Department of the 5
Environment to conduct a certain survey, gather certain data, and identify certain 6
methods on or before a certain date; and generally relating to plastic bottle waste 7
reduction. 8
BY adding to 9
Article – Environment 10
Section 9–2601 through 9–2603 to be under the new subtitle “Subtitle 26. Plastic 11
Bottle Waste Reduction” 12
Annotated Code of Maryland 13
(2014 Replacement Volume and 2023 Supplement) 14
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 15
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 16
Article – Environment 17
SUBTITLE 26. PLASTIC BOTTLE WASTE REDUCTION. 18
9–2601. 19
(A) IN THIS SUBTITLE THE FOLLOWING WORDS HAVE THE MEANINGS 20
INDICATED. 21
2 HOUSE BILL 841
(B) “PLASTIC BOTTLE ” MEANS A PLASTIC CONT AINER INTENDED FOR 1
SINGLE USE THAT : 2
(1) HAS A NECK THAT IS SM ALLER THAN THE CONTA INER; 3
(2) ACCEPTS A SCREW –TYPE, SNAP CAP, OR OTHER SIMILAR 4
CLOSURE; AND 5
(3) HAS A CAPACITY OF 1 LITER OR LESS. 6
(C) (1) “WATER BOTTLE FILLING STATION” MEANS A PLUMBING FIXTURE 7
CONNECTED TO THE POT ABLE WATER DISTRIBUT ION SYSTEM AND SANIT ARY 8
DRAINAGE SYSTEM THAT IS DESIGNED AND INTE NDED FOR FILLING PER SONAL USE 9
WATER BOTTLES OR CON TAINERS AT LEAST 10 INCHES IN HEIGHT. 10
(2) “WATER BOTTLE FILLING STATION” INCLUDES: 11
(I) A STATION THAT IS SEPARATE FROM OR INTEGRAL TO A 12
DRINKING FOUNTAIN ; AND 13
(II) A STATION THAT I NCORPORATE S A WATER FILTER AND 14
COOLING SYSTEM FOR C HILLING THE WATER . 15
9–2602. 16
BEGINNING OCTOBER 1, 2024, A WATER BOTTLE FILLING STATI ON OR A 17
COMBINED WATER BOTTLE FILLING STATI ON AND DRINKING FOUN TAIN SHALL BE 18
INSTALLED IN ALL NEW CONSTRUCTION FOR WHICH A DRINKING FOUNTAIN IS 19
REQUIRED UNDER THE C URRENT VERSION OF TH E INTERNATIONAL PLUMBING 20
CODE OR STATE OR LOCAL LAW OR REGULATION . 21
9–2603. 22
THE DEPARTMENT SHALL ADOP T REGULATIONS TO CAR RY OUT THE 23
PROVISIONS OF THIS S UBTITLE. 24
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That: 25
(a) On or before October 1, 2025, the Department of the Environment shall: 26
(1) survey and gather data from each unit of State government and 27
institution of higher education on the quantity and volume of plastic bottles purchased 28
during the 2024 calendar year; and 29
HOUSE BILL 841 3
(2) identify potential alternative methods for providing drinking water, 1
including the installation and use of water bottle filling stations. 2
(b) On or before December 1, 2025, the Department of the Environment shall: 3
(1) post the survey conducted under subsection (a) of this section on the 4
Department’s website; and 5
(2) submit the survey and alternative methods identified under subsection 6
(a) of this section to the Governor and, in accordance with § 2–1257 of the State Government 7
Article, the General Assembly. 8
SECTION 3. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall be construed to 9
apply only prospectively and may not be applied or interpreted to have any effect on or 10
application to any new construction under contract before the effective date of this Act. 11
SECTION 4. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, Th at this Act shall take effect July 12
1, 2024. 13