Environment (Drinking Water)

HB 2674, the PFAS Protection Act, prohibits the sale in Kansas of certain consumer products containing intentionally added PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances), including carpets, cookware, cosmetics, feminine hygiene products, firefighting foam, and children's items. It directly affects manufacturers and sellers of these products within Kansas by banning PFAS in their formulations and requiring them to disclose PFAS content and conduct product testing. Key mechanisms include a statewide prohibition on intentionally added PFAS in covered products, mandatory disclosure of PFAS information to the Department of Health and Environment, and testing requirements for products sold in the state. The bill excludes medical devices, federally regulated products, and used items, focusing on everyday consumer goods where PFAS are deliberately added for function.

HB 2682 requires commercial land spreaders (not farmers conducting normal operations on their own land) to obtain permits and follow strict rules for applying biosolids and organic waste to farmland. Key provisions include mandatory annual testing for pathogens, nutrients, and PFAS; a 1,000-foot buffer from residences; prohibitions on application during frozen/saturated soil conditions or near water sources; and requirements for odor control and recordkeeping. The law empowers the Kansas Department of Health and Environment and counties to enforce compliance through inspections, fines, or cease-and-desist orders for violations. It also defines "nuisances" related to odors or dust and allows counties to adopt additional local restrictions.

HB 2462 requires Kansas' Secretary of Health and Environment to adopt rules by July 1, 2028, allowing communities to safely reuse treated wastewater as drinking water. It defines "direct" reuse (advanced treatment to produce drinking water directly from treated wastewater) and "indirect" reuse (treated wastewater discharged into natural buffers like rivers before reuse). The rules must meet or exceed federal drinking water standards and apply to public water systems serving at least 25 people daily, including cities and towns managing drinking water infrastructure. This bill directly affects water utilities and communities seeking to expand water sources through reuse.

HB 2558 increases Kansas' annual funding for water infrastructure by raising transfers from the state general fund to the state water plan fund to $60 million starting in 2025. It then directs $15.5 million annually from the water plan fund to the water technical assistance fund (for planning and engineering support) and $22.5 million to the water projects grant fund (for infrastructure projects). This primarily benefits small municipalities (under 2,000 residents) and water conservation districts by prioritizing their access to grants for water infrastructure planning and construction. The funding mechanism expires on July 1, 2031, after which all remaining funds in the technical assistance and grant funds will revert to the state water plan fund.