Purpose of the Bill

• The purpose of this bill is to enhance transparency and accountability for public water supplies and publicly owned treatment works in Minnesota. It requires these entities to report annually on their policies and practices regarding water access.

Main Provisions

• Annual Reporting Requirement: Public water supplies and publicly owned treatment works must submit a detailed "water access report" by March 1 each year to the relevant state agency.

• Content of Report:

  1. Policy Descriptions: The report must describe policies from the previous year concerning late payments, service termination, payment plan options, financial assistance, and relevant local ordinances.
  2. Account Details: It must include the total number of accounts, accounts terminated or suspended for nonpayment (broken down by type of bill), with monthly specifics.
  3. Financial Statements: A balance sheet, income statement, and cash flow statement for the previous fiscal year are required.
  4. Contact Information: Contact details for customer queries must be part of the report.
  5. Challenges: The report must explain if any required information cannot be provided.

• Publication: The appropriate state agency (Department of Health or Pollution Control Agency) must post the water access reports on its website for public access.

• Information Provision: Any individual or entity possessing relevant information must provide it to the water utility upon request to compile their report.

Significant Changes

• This bill introduces a new requirement in Minnesota Statutes chapter 115, obligating water utilities to disclose detailed yearly information on water access policies and operational statistics. This aims to improve customer awareness and ensure equitable access to water services.

Relevant Terms

• Water access report
• Publicly owned treatment works
• Public water supply
• Termination of service
• Payment plan options
• Financial assistance
• Transparency
• Accountability