STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2682

                                   Honolulu, Hawaii
                                                     , 2000

                                   RE:  S.B. No. 2870
                                        S.D. 1




Honorable Norman Mizuguchi
President of the Senate
Twentieth State Legislature
Regular Session of 2000
State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Labor and Environment, to which was
referred S.B. No. 2870 entitled: 

     "A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO SAFE DRINKING WATER,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to expand the mandatory
certification laws over public water systems to allow for
distinct certification requirements for water treatment plant and
distribution system operators.

     Testimony in favor of this measure was received from the
Department of Health.

     Currently, a distribution system operator does not perform
the same functions as a water treatment plant operator.  Your
Committee finds, however, that federal law requires that the
State certify distribution system operators, and that failure to
meet this requirement would result in a 20 percent restriction in
the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund which is available to the
State annually through the year 2003.  This measure expands the
mandatory certification laws over public water systems, which
encompass both treatment plants and distribution systems, to
allow for distinct certification requirements for water treatment
plant and for distribution system operators.  Your Committee is
in agreement that certification requirements should match the
respective responsibilities.


 
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                                   STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2682
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     Your Committee notes that this measure applies only to
public water systems and not agricultural well systems.

     Your Committee amended the measure by:

     (1)  Removing the statutory definition of "water treatment
          plant" and requiring the certification board to define
          the term;

     (2)  Specifying that no person shall be held in violation of
          section 340F-6, Hawaii Revised Statutes (HRS), and
          section 340F-8, HRS, until the date specified in rules
          adopted under section 340F-7, HRS, classifying
          distribution systems and providing for certification of
          operators; and

     (3)  Placing distribution systems only under the
          "supervision" of a certified operator and not under
          "direct supervision".

     Your Committee also made technical, nonsubstantive changes
to reflect preferred drafting style.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your
Committee on Labor and Environment that is attached to this
report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose
of S.B. No. 2870, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass
Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2870,
S.D. 1, and be placed on the calendar for Third Reading.

                                   Respectfully submitted on
                                   behalf of the members of the
                                   Committee on Labor and
                                   Environment,



                                   ______________________________
                                   BOB NAKATA, Chair

 
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