HB 43: Disadvantaged Community Drinking Water Assistance Program; establish

Some Georgia communities, especially poorer rural areas, struggle with wells running dry, contaminated water, or water systems that no longer meet federal safe drinking water standards. This bill adds a new section to Georgia's water law (O.C.G.A. Title 12, Chapter 5) creating the Disadvantaged Community Drinking Water Assistance Program, administered by the Environmental Protection Division of the Department of Natural Resources. The program would use money the legislature appropriates to fund grants for things like water treatment systems, new wells, connecting small water systems to larger ones, and emergency water supplies. A 'disadvantaged community' is defined as a census block group where at least 30 percent of residents have household income at or below 200 percent of the federal poverty level. The division would prioritize communities under violation notices for unsafe water, those facing well or groundwater shortages, and systems interested in consolidating. Grants generally cannot cover more than 25 percent of ongoing operation and maintenance costs, and no more than 25 percent of yearly program funds can go toward those costs overall.

• Establishes the Disadvantaged Community Drinking Water Assistance Program inside the state's Environmental Protection Division to fund drinking water fixes.
• Defines 'disadvantaged community' as a census block group where 30 percent or more of residents live at or below 200 percent of the federal poverty level.
• Allows grant money to pay for water treatment systems, new wells, system consolidations, emergency water supplies, and technical assistance costs.
• Directs the division to prioritize communities under drinking water violation notices, those with dry or contaminated wells, and systems seeking to consolidate.
• Caps operation and maintenance funding at 25 percent of project costs per grant and 25 percent of total program funds statewide each year.

Low-income and rural communities with unreliable or contaminated drinking water, small and rural water utilities, the Environmental Protection Division of the Department of Natural Resources, and households that may need help connecting to water systems or getting emergency water supplies.

Communities with failing wells or water systems that violate safe drinking water standards could get state grants to build treatment systems, new wells, or consolidate with larger utilities, potentially improving water quality and reliability without forcing large rate increases on residents.

• New Code Section 12-5-74(a) defines key terms, including 'disadvantaged community' based on income levels within a census block group.
• Subsection (b) and (c) establish the program and state its purpose: helping disadvantaged communities get water meeting federal Safe Drinking Water Act standards.
• Subsection (d) lists ten eligible uses for grant funds, from treatment systems to household connection assistance and emergency supplies.
• Subsection (e) sets five funding priorities, including communities under drinking water violation notices and areas with documented dry or contaminated wells.
• Subsection (f) limits grants to 100 percent of certain startup and construction costs but only 25 percent of ongoing operation and maintenance costs.
• Subsection (g) caps statewide annual spending on operation and maintenance at 25 percent of available program funds.
• Section 2 repeals any conflicting laws, a standard closing provision.

1. 2025-01-16House Second Readers (House)
2. 2025-01-15House First Readers (House)
3. 2025-01-14House Hopper (House)

• Viola Davis (D, HD-087)Primary sponsor
• Kim Schofield (D, HD-063)
• Rhonda Taylor (D, HD-092)
• Sandra Scott (D, HD-076)

• drinking water
• rural water systems
• environmental funding
• low-income assistance
• water infrastructure