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.
*hb0277*
HOUSE BILL 277
M3 5lr0704
HB 841/24 – ENT (PRE–FILED) CF SB 96
By: Delegates Ruth, Lehman, Charkoudian, Ebersole, Fair, Feldmark, Foley,
Palakovich Carr, Stein, Terrasa, Vogel, Wims, Woods, Woorman, and Wu
Wu, and Healey
Requested: August 23, 2024
Introduced and read first time: January 8, 2025
Assigned to: Environment and Transportation
Committee Report: Favorable with amendments
House action: Adopted
Read second time: February 18, 2025
CHAPTER ______
AN ACT concerning 1
Environment – Water Bottle Filling Stations – Requirement 2
FOR the purpose of requiring that a water bottle filling station be installed in certain new 3
construction or as part of certain renovations beginning on a certain date, subject to 4
certain exceptions; requiring the Maryland Department of Labor to adopt 5
regulations to carry out the provisions of this Act; and generally relating to water 6
bottle filling stations. 7
BY adding to 8
Article – Environment 9
Section 9–2701 through 9–2703 to be under the new subtitle “Subtitle 27. Water 10
Bottle Filling Stations” 11
Annotated Code of Maryland 12
(2014 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement) 13
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL AS SEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 14
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 15
Article – Environment 16
SUBTITLE 27. WATER BOTTLE FILLING STATIONS. 17
2 HOUSE BILL 277
9–2701. 1
IN THIS SUBTITLE: 2
(1) “WATER BOTTLE FILLING STATION” MEANS A PLUMBING FIX TURE 3
CONNECTED TO THE POT ABLE WATER DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM AND SANITARY 4
DRAINAGE SYSTEM THAT IS DESIGNED AND INTE NDED FOR FILLING PER SONAL USE 5
WATER BOTTLES OR CON TAINERS AT LEAST 10 INCHES IN HEIGHT ; AND 6
(2) “WATER BOTTLE FILLING STATION” INCLUDES: 7
(I) A STATION THAT IS SEPA RATE FROM OR INTEGRAL TO A 8
DRINKING FOUNTAIN ; AND 9
(II) A FOR AN INTERIOR LOCAT ION OF A BUILDING , A STATION 10
THAT INCORPORATES A WATER FILTER AND COO LING SYSTEM FOR CHIL LING THE 11
WATER. 12
9–2702. 13
(A) BEGINNING EXCEPT AS PROVIDED IN SUBSECTION (B) OF THIS 14
SECTION, BEGINNING OCTOBER 1, 2025, A AT LEAST ONE WATER BOTTLE FILLING 15
STATION OR A COMBINE D WATER BOTTLE FILLI NG STATION AND DRINK ING 16
FOUNTAIN SHALL : 17
(1) BE INSTALLED IN ALL N EW CONSTRUCTION FOR EACH AT EACH 18
LOCATION WHERE A DRINKING FOUNTAIN IS REQUIRED UNDER THE CURRENT 19
VERSION OF THE INTERNATIONAL PLUMBING CODE ADOPTED BY THE STATE OR 20
STATE OR LOCAL LAW OR REGULATION ; 21
(2) REPLACE A DRINKING FO UNTAIN LOCATED IN AN AREA OF A 22
BUILDING UNDERGOING A RENOVATION IF THE RENOVATION INCLUDES REPLACING 23
THE DRINKING FOUNTAIN; AND 24
(3) BE INSTALLED IN ANY B UILDING UNDERGOING A RENOVATION IF 25
THE INSTALLATION OF A DRINKING FOUNTAIN IS REQUIRED UNDER TH E CURRENT 26
VERSION OF THE INTERNATIONAL PLUMBING CODE ADOPTED BY THE STATE OR 27
STATE OR LOCAL LAW OR REGULATION . 28
(B) THE PROVISIONS OF SUB SECTION (A) OF THIS SECTION DO N OT APPLY 29
IF: 30
HOUSE BILL 277 3
(1) A DRINKING FOUNTAIN IN A BUILDING LOCATED I N A 1
COMMERCIAL OR INDUST RIAL AREA IS REPLACE D WITH NO OTHER RENO VATIONS 2
MADE; OR 3
(2) A BUILDING LOCATED IN A COMMERCIAL OR INDU STRIAL AREA 4
HAS POTABLE WATER AV AILABLE THROUGH A SO URCE OTHER THAN A DR INKING 5
FOUNTAIN, INCLUDING A KITCHEN . 6
9–2703. 7
THE MARYLAND DEPARTMENT OF LABOR SHALL ADOPT REGULATI ONS TO 8
CARRY OUT THE PROVIS IONS OF THIS SUBTITL E. 9
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED , That this Act shall be construed to 10
apply only prospectively and may not be applied or interpreted to have any effect on or 11
application to any new construction under contract before the effective date of this Act. 12
SECTION 3. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect July 13
1, 2025. 14
Approved:
________________________________________________________________________________
Governor.
________________________________________________________________________________
Speaker of the House of Delegates.
________________________________________________________________________________
President of the Senate.