HF 267

as introduced - 82nd Legislature (2001 - 2002) Posted on 12/15/2009 12:00am

  1.1                          A bill for an act
  1.2             relating to health; requiring the commissioner of 
  1.3             health to create a model notice for property owners 
  1.4             regarding testing of wells; providing for 
  1.5             dissemination of the notice; requiring certain 
  1.6             information to be posted on the Web site of the 
  1.7             department of health; proposing coding for new law in 
  1.8             Minnesota Statutes, chapter 103I. 
  1.9   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.10     Section 1.  [103I.243] [MODEL NOTICE RECOMMENDING PERIODIC 
  1.11  WELL TESTING.] 
  1.12     Subdivision 1.  [CONTENT OF MODEL NOTICE.] The commissioner 
  1.13  shall create a model notice recommending periodic well testing 
  1.14  for all households that use wells to obtain groundwater for 
  1.15  drinking and food preparation.  The notice must contain at least 
  1.16  the following information: 
  1.17     (1) the potential hazards of using water from wells for 
  1.18  drinking and food preparation, why wells should be regularly 
  1.19  tested for coliform bacteria and nitrate, and why wells in 
  1.20  certain areas of the state should be tested for arsenic; 
  1.21     (2) recommendations that wells be tested at least annually 
  1.22  for coliform bacteria and nitrate; 
  1.23     (3) recommendations that wells be tested once for arsenic 
  1.24  in areas of the state in which, because of the geology of the 
  1.25  area, arsenic may be present in well water; 
  1.26     (4) instructions on taking water samples from wells and 
  1.27  submitting samples to water testing laboratories for testing; 
  2.1      (5) the estimated costs of having well water tested for 
  2.2   coliform bacteria, nitrate, and arsenic; and 
  2.3      (6) what further steps to take if a test indicates the 
  2.4   presence of coliform bacteria, nitrate, or arsenic, including 
  2.5   the importance of testing for pesticides as defined in section 
  2.6   18B.01, subdivision 18, if coliform bacteria or nitrate is 
  2.7   present in well water. 
  2.8      Subd. 2.  [DISSEMINATION OF MODEL NOTICE; OTHER 
  2.9   INFORMATION.] (a) The commissioner shall provide a copy of the 
  2.10  model notice to each city, county, and town in the state that 
  2.11  has private wells used to obtain groundwater for drinking and 
  2.12  food preparation.  Each city, county, and town is encouraged to 
  2.13  annually provide the model notice to all households in its 
  2.14  jurisdiction that use such wells or to otherwise provide to the 
  2.15  households all the information in the model notice.  A local 
  2.16  government may provide the notice to households by any means 
  2.17  convenient, including distribution at public meetings, posting 
  2.18  in public places, or enclosing the notice in mailings made for 
  2.19  any other purpose. 
  2.20     (b) The commissioner shall post the following information 
  2.21  on the department's Web site: 
  2.22     (1) a copy of the model notice created according to 
  2.23  subdivision 1; 
  2.24     (2) links to other Web sites that address children's health 
  2.25  issues; and 
  2.26     (3) a map of the state indicating areas in which, because 
  2.27  of the geology of the area, arsenic may be present in well water.