SB5626 – Adding a climate resilience element to water system plans.
Prime Sponsor – Senator Rolfes (D; 23rd District; Kitsap County)
Current status – Had a hearing in the House Committee on Environment and Energy February 22nd. Did not progress by cutoff; dead bill.
Next step would be – Action by the committee.
Legislative tracking page for the bill.

In the Senate – Passed
Had a hearing in the Senate Committee on Environment, Energy & Technology January 12th; replaced by a substitute and passed out of committee January 20th. The substitute adds some specifications about the Department’s technical assistance, and would have the UW’s Climate Impacts Group assist in the development of tools for that if funding were appropriated. It would also eliminate the Public Water Board’s and Commerce’s participation in the administration of the Water System Acquisition and Rehabilitation Program. Had a hearing in Ways and Means February 3rd; passed out of committee on the 7th. Referred to Rules, and passed by the Senate February 12th.

Summary –
The bill would require public water systems serving 1,000 or more connections to include a climate resilience element as part of their water system plans. They would have to determine which extreme weather events pose significant challenges to their system and build scenarios to identify potential impacts; assess critical assets and the actions necessary to protect the system from the effects of extreme weather events on operations; and generate reports describing the costs and benefits of the system’s risk reduction strategies for decision makers and stakeholders.

The Department of Health would be required to update its water system planning guidebook to assist systems in implementing the climate resilience element, including guidance on any available technical and financial resources. The bill would authorize the Department’s water system acquisition and rehabilitation program to make loans to systems to partially cover project costs as well as the current grants, and would make climate resilience planning and actions to protect system from extreme weather events, including infrastructure and design projects, eligible for financing from the program.