An Act Concerning The Disclosure Of Water Quality Test Results For Certain Private And Semipublic Wells.
Summary
HB 5167 amends the state’s public health statute governing water-quality testing for private wells serving residential properties and semipublic wells. It requires laboratories and firms that perform these tests to report results to the local health authority and the Department of Public Health within 30 days, in a department-specified format. The bill also preserves the confidentiality of those results and related investigations under existing law, while clarifying who may receive the information.
Under the bill, local health authorities and the Department of Public Health may disclose test results or investigation information to the property owner, owners of properties receiving water from the well, adjacent property owners, a prospective buyer under contract, other persons or entities when needed to carry out statutory or regulatory duties, and agents of a state agency. The bill removes the prior requirement that such disclosure be approved by the commissioner, broadening administrative discretion for these disclosures. The effective date is October 1, 2026.
Impact
The bill would amend Connecticut General Statutes section 19a-37(c)(1) to expand and clarify disclosure authority for water-quality test results involving private and semipublic wells, while leaving the underlying reporting requirement intact. It affects laboratories, local health departments, the Department of Public Health, property owners, neighboring property owners, and prospective homebuyers, and it may increase access to well-water contamination information in real estate and public health contexts.
Sentiment
The available voting history shows strong support for the bill, with the Public Health Committee reporting it out Joint Favorable on a 31-0 vote. No committee transcript is available, but the unanimous vote suggests broad agreement that the measure is a practical public health and transparency update rather than a controversial policy change.
Contention
The main policy issue appears to be the scope of disclosure for confidential water-test information. The bill removes the need for commissioner approval before local health authorities or the Department of Public Health may share results, which could raise privacy or administrative concerns in other contexts, but no recorded opposition or debate is provided. The bill also balances that expanded disclosure with continued confidentiality protections under section 19a-25.