EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MAT TER ADDED TO EXISTIN G LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
Underlining indicates amendments to bill.
Strike out indicates matter stricken from the bill by amendment or deleted from the law by
amendment.
*hb0841*
HOUSE BILL 841
M3 4lr2053
By: Delegates Ruth, Allen, Charkoudian, Fair, Guyton, Healey, Kaiser, Lehman,
J. Long, Stewart, and Terrasa Terrasa, Boyce, and Love
Introduced and read first time: January 31, 2024
Assigned to: Environment and Transportation
Committee Report: Favorable with amendments
House action: Adopted
Read second time: February 26, 2024
CHAPTER ______
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 2 HOUSE BILL 841
(A) IN THIS SUBTITLE : THE FOLLOWING WORDS HAVE THE MEANINGS 1
INDICATED. 2
(B) “PLASTIC BOTTLE ” MEANS A PLASTIC CONT AINER INTENDED FOR 3
SINGLE USE THAT : 4
(1) HAS A NECK THAT IS SM ALLER THAN THE CONTAINER ; 5
(2) ACCEPTS A SCREW –TYPE, SNAP CAP, OR OTHER SIMILAR 6
CLOSURE; AND 7
(3) HAS A CAPACITY OF 1 LITER OR LESS. 8
(C) (1) “WATER BOTTLE FILLING STATION” MEANS A PLUMBING FIX TURE 9
CONNECTED TO THE POT ABLE WATER DISTRIBUT ION SYSTEM AND SANIT ARY 10
DRAINAGE SYSTEM THAT IS DESIGNED AND INTE NDED FOR FILLING PER SONAL USE 11
WATER BOTTLES OR CON TAINERS AT LEAST 10 INCHES IN HEIGHT .; AND 12
(2) “WATER BOTTLE FILLING STATION” INCLUDES: 13
(I) A STATION THAT IS SEPA RATE FROM OR INTEGRA L TO A 14
DRINKING FOUNTAI N; AND 15
(II) A STATION THAT INCORPO RATES A WATER FILTER AND 16
COOLING SYSTEM FOR C HILLING THE WATER . 17
9–2602. 18
BEGINNING OCTOBER 1, 2024, A WATER BOTTLE FILLI NG STATION OR A 19
COMBINED WATER BOTTL E FILLING STATION AN D DRINKING FOUNTAIN SHALL BE 20
INSTALLED IN ALL NEW CONSTRUCTI ON FOR WHICH A DRINK ING FOUNTAIN IS 21
REQUIRED UNDER THE C URRENT VERSION OF TH E INTERNATIONAL PLUMBING 22
CODE OR STATE OR LOCAL LAW OR REGULATION . 23
9–2603. 24
THE MARYLAND DEPARTMENT OF LABOR SHALL ADOPT REGULATI ONS TO 25
CARRY OUT THE PROVISIONS OF THIS S UBTITLE. 26
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That: 27
(a) In this section, “plastic bottle” means a plastic container intended for single 28
use that: 29
HOUSE BILL 841 3
(1) has a neck that is smaller than the container; 1
(2) accepts a screw–type, snap cap, or other similar closure; and 2
(3) has a capacity of 1 liter or less. 3
(a) (b) On or before October 1, 2025, the Department of the Environment shall: 4
(1) survey and gather data from each unit of State government and 5
institution of higher education on the quantity and volume of plastic water bottles 6
purchased during the 2024 calendar year; and 7
(2) identify potential alternative methods for providing drinking water, 8
including the installation and use of water bottle filling stations. 9
(b) (c) On or before December 1, 2025, the Department of the Environment shall: 10
(1) post the survey conducted under subsection (a) (b) of this section on the 11
Department’s website; and 12
(2) submit the survey and alternative methods identified under subsection 13
(a) (b) of this section to the Governor and, in accordance with § 2–1257 of the State 14
Government Article, the General Assembly. 15
SECTION 3. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED , That this Act shall be construed to 16
apply only prospectively and may not be applied or interpreted to have any effect on or 17
application to any new construction under contract before the effective date of this Act. 18
SECTION 4. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect July 19
1, 2024. 20
Approved:
________________________________________________________________________________
Governor.
________________________________________________________________________________
Speaker of the House of Delegates.
________________________________________________________________________________
President of the Senate.