102ND GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2021 and 2022
SB1645

 

Introduced 2/26/2021, by Sen. Omar Aquino

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
New Act

    Creates the Water Shutoff Restoration Act. Provides that public water supply authorities must use their best efforts to restore full water service to occupied residences that are without water service due to nonpayment unless those occupied residences have improper cross-connections that would risk public safety. Provides that for occupied residences with improper cross-connections, public water supply authorities must use their best efforts to rectify the cross-connection and restore full water service. Provides that public water supply authorities must identify occupied residences without full water service within their service areas and report their findings to the Illinois Commerce Commission within 8 weeks after the effective date of this Act and every month thereafter. Provides that these reports must detail what efforts have been made to provide full water service to occupied residence that still do not have full water service. Provides that the Act is repealed on January 1, 2023. Effective immediately.


LRB102 15660 SPS 21024 b

 

 

A BILL FOR

 

SB1645LRB102 15660 SPS 21024 b

1    AN ACT concerning regulation.
 
2    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3represented in the General Assembly:
 
4    Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the Water
5Shutoff Restoration Act.
 
6    Section 5. Purpose. The purpose of this Act is to further
7the interest of the State of Illinois in the proper management
8of a significant public health issue by ensuring nonpayment
9alone is not an appropriate justification for terminating
10water services essential for basic hygiene during a pandemic.
11The health and safety of Illinois residents are otherwise at
12risk.
 
13    Section 10. Definitions. As used in this Act:
14    "Occupied residence" means a house or other type of
15shelter that is used or intended to be used for human occupancy
16and has been occupied by humans for more than a total of 6
17months in the last 2 years at that location.
18    "Public water supply authority" means as an entity that
19provides water for human consumption through pipes or other
20constructed conveyances to at least 15 service connections or
21serves an average of at least 25 people for at least 60 days
22per year within the State of Illinois.
 

 

 

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1    Section 15. Requirements. Public water supply authorities
2must use their best efforts to restore full water service to
3occupied residences that are without water service due to
4nonpayment unless those occupied residences have improper
5cross-connections that would risk public safety. For occupied
6residences with improper cross-connections that would risk
7public safety, public water supply authorities must use their
8best efforts to rectify the cross-connection and restore full
9water service to those occupied residences.
 
10    Section 20. Report. Public water supply authorities must
11identify occupied residences without full water service within
12their service areas and report their findings to the Illinois
13Commerce Commission within 8 weeks after the effective date of
14this Act and every month thereafter. These reports must detail
15what efforts have been made to provide full water service to
16occupied residences that still do not have full water service.
 
17    Section 25. Intent of Act. This Act is not intended to
18relieve residents of their obligation to pay public water
19supply authorities, but to prevent public water authorities
20from using disconnection as a course of action for nonpayment.
 
21    Section 30. Repeal. This Act is repealed on January 1,
222023.
 

 

 

SB1645- 3 -LRB102 15660 SPS 21024 b

1    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
2becoming law.