NC House committee advances bills targeting clean water
A pipe deposits water from upstream and discharges into the Cape Fear River in Wilmington. (Photo: Lisa Sorg)
The North Carolina House Agriculture and Environment Committee voted to approve a flurry of bills on Wednesday, touching on topics like wastewater and PFAS.
Rep. Mark Brody (R-Anson, Union) introduced House Bill 376, titled 'Various On-Site Wastewater & Well Provisions.' The legislation would subject drinking wells and wastewater to rules and regulations determined by the state.
The bill would create the North Carolina On-Site Wastewater Contractors and Inspectors Certification Board, to consist of nine members appointed to three-year terms. This body would shoulder the responsibility to evaluate and approve on-site wastewater systems.
Rep. Pricey Harrison (D-Guilford) asked for the reasoning behind the legislation and the push for uniform rules.
Brody explained that well drillers perform their duties in different counties across the state.
'We're trying to get the same rules for everybody, so they don't go to different counties with different rules,' he said.
For wastewater, under current law, if the county evaluates and makes a mistake, the state will absorb some of the costs of fines or repairs as long as the county follows state rules. If the county does not, they are on their own to finance any additional costs.
Harrison said she would vote against the bill, as she thought the jurisdiction should remain with local governments. With such varied topography across North Carolina, a one-size-fits-all model may not be the best.
'You have situations where you've got mountainous terrain, you've got coastal which is high water tables, areas prone to flooding it seems you might want to have it more narrowly tailored to local governments,' she said.
The bill moves forward to the House Rules Committee.
The panel also advanced House Bill 569, titled 'PFAS Pollution and Polluter Liability,' a measure meant to protect North Carolinians from drinking water contaminated by PFAS — per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or 'forever chemicals' that are dangerous to the environment.
HB 569 outlines the permissible concentration levels of PFAS that are established by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
'It addresses the PFAs contamination that is put into a water source that goes into a public utility,' sponsor Rep. Ted Davis (R-New Hanover) said.
With a favorable vote, the measure heads to the House Rules Committee.
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