Drinking Water - Regulation - Control and Prevention of Waterborne Disease

SB 264 establishes new requirements to prevent waterborne diseases like Legionnaires' disease in Maryland's public water systems. It mandates minimum disinfectant residual levels, regular testing for pathogens, and specific water management programs for building owners/operators. Public water suppliers must provide notices about system disruptions and maintain records, while the Maryland Department of Health must create a public awareness campaign and publish compliance data online. Violations could result in civil penalties up to $25,000 per day for larger systems, with collected fines funding health initiatives. The bill directly affects all public water systems serving 15+ connections or 25+ people, including municipal suppliers and building operators.