Environment - Water Bottle Filling Stations - Requirement
Summary
SB96 requires certain new construction and certain renovations in Maryland, beginning October 1, 2025, to include at least one water bottle filling station or a combined water bottle filling station and drinking fountain wherever a drinking fountain is otherwise required under the applicable plumbing code or state/local law. The bill defines a water bottle filling station as a plumbing fixture connected to potable water and sanitary drainage, intended to fill personal water bottles or containers at least 10 inches tall, and allows the station to be separate from or integrated with a drinking fountain. For interior building locations, the definition also includes stations with a filter and cooling system.
The bill also requires a water bottle filling station to replace a drinking fountain when a renovation includes replacing that fountain, and to be installed in any renovated building where a drinking fountain would otherwise be required. It creates exceptions for certain commercial or industrial buildings, including cases where a fountain is replaced without other renovations or where potable water is already available through another source such as a kitchen. The Maryland Department of Labor must adopt regulations to implement the new subtitle in the Environment Article, and the law applies prospectively only to new construction under contract after the effective date.
Impact
SB96 adds a new Subtitle 27 to the Environment Article, creating a statewide requirement for water bottle filling stations in specified new construction and renovations. It affects building owners, developers, architects, plumbers, and code-enforcement officials by changing fixture requirements tied to the International Plumbing Code and related state or local rules. The Maryland Department of Labor is given rulemaking authority to carry out the law, and projects already under contract before July 1, 2025 are exempt from its application.
Sentiment
The bill appears to have received generally favorable support in the legislature, passing both chambers on third reading with substantial majorities. The recorded votes show 34-12 in the Senate and 107-31 in the House, suggesting broad but not unanimous approval. No committee transcript is available, so the available record indicates support without detailed public debate in the provided materials.
Contention
The main points of contention likely centered on the added cost and design requirements for builders and property owners, especially in renovations and in commercial or industrial settings. The bill’s exceptions for certain commercial and industrial buildings suggest concern about overburdening facilities that already have potable water access or are only replacing a fountain without broader work. Opposition, as reflected in the recorded nays, appears to have come from members concerned about regulatory mandates, implementation costs, or the necessity of requiring bottle-filling stations in all covered projects.