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Bill

SB 130

Environment - Water - Individual Submeters

2026 Regular Session Introduced by Shaneka Henson

Mandates individual water meters in multi-unit residential buildings to tie tenant bills directly to personal usage rather than shared master meters.

Approved by the Governor - Chapter 261
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Bill Summary · SB 130

Legislative bill overview

SB 130 requires individual water meters for residential units in multi-unit buildings, rather than allowing master meters that measure consumption for entire complexes. The bill aims to give tenants direct accountability for their water usage and enable more accurate billing based on individual consumption patterns.

Why is this important

Water metering directly affects household utility costs and conservation incentives. Individual meters allow residents to see the real-time impact of their usage, potentially reducing waste and lowering bills, while also creating billing equity where heavy users pay proportionally more. This is particularly significant in rental markets where master metering can obscure true consumption costs.

Potential points of contention

  • Installation costs and responsibility: Property owners may face significant upfront expenses installing individual meters in existing buildings, potentially leading to cost-shifting arguments about who bears these expenses
  • Tenant protection concerns: Without accompanying rent control provisions, landlords could use individualized billing data to justify rent increases or pass installation costs directly to tenants
  • Feasibility in older buildings: Retrofitting older multi-unit structures with individual metering infrastructure may be technically complex or impossible, potentially exempting or burdening specific property types

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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