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HB 1947

Reducing satellite management agency requirements for simple group B public water systems.

2025-2026 Regular Session Introduced by Hunter Abell and 5 co-sponsors

Washington reduces regulatory requirements for satellite agencies managing small Group B public water systems serving 25-1,000 people to ease administrative burden on rural and tribal utilities.

Effective date 7/27/2025.
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Bill Summary · HB 1947

Legislative bill overview

HB 1947 reduces regulatory and management requirements for satellite agencies overseeing simple Group B public water systems in Washington State. Group B systems are small water utilities serving 25-1,000 people. The bill streamlines compliance obligations for these minimal-risk water systems to reduce administrative burden on small communities and satellite management agencies.

Why is this important

Small rural communities and tribal water systems often struggle with compliance costs that are disproportionate to system size and risk level. Reducing unnecessary regulatory requirements can help these systems allocate limited resources toward actual water quality and infrastructure maintenance rather than paperwork, potentially improving service reliability in underserved areas.

Potential points of contention

  • Water safety concerns: Critics may argue that reducing oversight requirements for any drinking water system—regardless of size—creates potential gaps in public health protection and contamination detection.
  • Definitional ambiguity: "Simple" systems lack a precise technical definition in available summaries; unclear criteria could lead to inconsistent application or systems being classified incorrectly.
  • Equity questions: While intended to help small systems, the measure might inadvertently benefit larger satellite agencies managing multiple systems by reducing their compliance costs without equivalent savings passed to ratepayers.

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

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